Equipment
Ingredients
The Scallops
- 12 king scallops, roe removed, side muscle removed
- 15 ml olive oil
- 15 g unsalted butter
- flaky sea salt
The Pea Purée
- 300 g frozen peas
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 30 ml double cream
- 5 g fresh mint leaves
- 5 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- black pepper, freshly ground
The Bacon
- 100 g smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 336 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1084 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 54 mg
- Potassium
- 355 mg
- Calcium
- 38 mg
- Iron
- 2.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 45 mg
- Phosphorus
- 379 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 189 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 24 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.31 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.23 mg
- Niacin
- 3.8 mg
- Folate
- 66 mcg
- Water
- 153 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place a cold frying pan over medium heat, add the chopped smoked streaky bacon, and fry until crisp and the fat has rendered completely. This will take roughly 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and let it drain on paper towels. Leave the rendered bacon fat in the pan.
Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the frozen peas and cook until just tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain the peas well, shaking off excess water.
Transfer the hot drained peas to a blender. Add 30g of butter, double cream, and fresh mint leaves. Blend until a smooth, vibrant purée forms. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Keep warm while cooking the scallops.
Thoroughly pat the king scallops completely dry with paper towels on all sides. Moisture prevents a good sear. Season lightly with flaky sea salt just before cooking. Wash hands thoroughly with warm water and soap after handling the raw seafood to prevent cross-contamination.
Add the olive oil to the frying pan containing the reserved bacon fat and place over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering and just barely starting to smoke, carefully place the scallops in the pan. Sear without moving them for 2 minutes to develop a thick, caramelized crust.
Flip the scallops, add 15g of butter to the pan, and cook for 1 additional minute while continuously spooning the foaming butter over the scallops. The internal temperature should reach 54°C or 130°F. Remove from the pan immediately so they do not overcook.
Spoon a generous circle of the warm pea purée onto the center of each warmed serving plate. Arrange three seared scallops on top of the purée per plate, and scatter the crispy bacon pieces evenly over the dish. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Drying your scallops thoroughly is the single most important step. If time permits, leave them uncovered on a wire rack in the refrigerator for an hour before cooking to dehydrate the surface slightly.
- Inspect your scallops and remove the small, tough, crescent-shaped muscle on the side if your fishmonger has not done so already. It becomes incredibly tough and chewy during cooking.
- Do not discard the rendered bacon fat. Using it alongside a little olive oil to sear the scallops imparts a deep, savory, and smoky baseline flavor into the sweet seafood.
- A hot pan is essential, but butter burns easily at high temperatures. Searing first with oil and bacon fat, then adding butter only at the very end for basting, prevents the milk solids from turning bitter.
- Always start cooking bacon in a cold pan. As the pan gradually heats up, the fat renders out slowly and evenly, resulting in much crispier pieces without burning the meat.
Storage
Troubleshooting
Scallops are pale and have a steamed appearance rather than a caramelized crust.
Cause: The scallops were too wet when added to the pan, or the pan was not hot enough.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Do not continue cooking to chase a crust, as this will result in rubbery, overcooked scallops.
Prevention: Pat the scallops meticulously dry with paper towels and ensure the oil is shimmering and near its smoke point before adding the seafood.
Pea purée loses its vibrant green color and turns a dull olive brown.
Cause: The peas were boiled for too long, or the lemon juice was blended in too early and heated excessively.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but flavor will remain largely unaffected.
Prevention: Boil peas for no longer than 3 minutes, and fold the acidic lemon juice in at the very end off the heat.
Cultural Context
This pairing has become a hallmark of modern British gastropub and fine dining menus. The delicate, natural sweetness of the native King scallop is perfectly balanced by the earthy, bright notes of the garden pea and the rich, salty crunch of smoked bacon, reflecting a broader British culinary trend of elevating simple, local ingredients.
