WP, interesting combinations. Seared scallops in a cream sauce made with mint and peas. And bacon. Sometimes odd combinations work out really well.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups green peas (12 to 14 ounces), fresh or frozen
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more as needed
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish, if desired
Fine sea salt or table salt
Finely ground black pepper
Ground nutmeg
4 strips bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large shallot (about 2 ounces), minced
1 1/2 pounds dry, large sea scallops (about 20 total), the tough musle on the side removed
Instructions
1. In a medium pot of boiling water, blanch the peas until bright green and soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside 1/2 cup of the peas; transfer the rest to a blender. Blend, drizzling in 1/2 cup of the heavy cream, until thick and creamy. Add the fresh mint leaves, a large pinch of salt, black pepper and nutmeg and blend until completely smooth and spoonable, scraping down the sides of the pitcher, as needed. Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. Transfer the puree to a small saucepan and set aside.
2. Line a plate with a paper towel and place it near the stove. In a large, well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until the fat is rendered and it is just starting to crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove the bacon to the prepared plate and pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the fat into a small bowl; reserve the fat.
3. Add the shallot to the skillet and saute for 30 seconds. Add the reserved peas and bacon. Cook for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the mixture to a bowl, capturing as many bits as you can.
4. Raise the heat to medium-high, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom and sides. When the fat has just started smoking, pat the scallops dry and sprinkle a little salt and pepper on them. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, place the scallops in the pan, making sure they do not touch.
5. Cook, undisturbed, until the bottoms of the scallops are dark golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, carefully turn each scallop and let the other side cook until golden, an additional 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining scallops, adding more bacon fat as needed.
6. Just before serving, set the saucepan of pea puree over low heat and warm it, stirring once or twice, about 2 minutes. To serve, spoon the pea puree onto four plates, top each with 4 or 5 scallops and sprinkle with the bacon mixture and fresh mint leaves, if using.