Bay Scallops with Snap Peas and Bacon
I love scallops! Whether they’re bay scallops (like the ones in this picture) or big sea scallops (like the ones in the last picture in this post) they’re one of my favorite seafoods!
“One of my favorite seafoods” sounds weird, but you get what I’m saying ๐.
Scallops feel light and decadent at the same time, and they pair up perfectly with bacon.
I love to serve scallops with a quick side of snap peas and bacon, and top everything off with a yummy orange balsamic sauce ๐.
So first you’re just going to start off by cooking your bacon, and then cooking your snap peas in the bacon grease.
I like to look for the fat snap peas – I think they’re so much better than the flat ones! But either will work if you can’t find the fat ones.
The scallops just get a quick sear, and then all that’s left is the sauce!
It’s sooo simple and really tasty.
You just squeeze the juice from one or two oranges, add some balsamic vinegar, and cook it down until it starts to thicken up.
In goes some butter (or ghee if you’re dairy free or want to keep this Whole30) and a little bit of salt!
Drizzle the sauce over top of the scallops and peas and you’re good to go!
I love to serve this over a simple cauliflower puree, as you can see in the photo above ๐
So, so yum! I hope you make it ๐
Ingredients
- 3/4-1 pound bay scallops (or sea scallops)
- 2 slices bacon
- 1/2 pound sugar snap peas (the fat ones)
- 1/2 tablespoon oil for cooking (bacon grease, avocado oil, ghee, coconut oil)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest from 1/2 an orange
- salt
For the sauce
- 1/3 cup orange juice (juice from 1-2 oranges)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon butter or ghee
- salt
Instructions
- Dice the bacon and add to a hot pan, cooking until slightly crisp.ย Remove with a slotted spoonย and reserve.ย
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of water or broth and scrape up all the bits from the bottom. Add the peas and a sprinkle of salt to the pan and cook until tender (about 6-8 minutes) adding garlic and orange zest in the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- Add the cooked bacon back in with the peas then remove everything from pan and set aside, covering to keep warm.ย
- Rinse the pan quickly or start with a new pan, heating to medium high heat and adding the 1/2 tablespoon of oil.
- Pat scallops dry and sprinkle on both sides with salt. Turn the pan heat down slightly and add the scallops. Don't move them around in the pan. Work in two batches if needed so you don't crowd the pan.
- Cook the scallops for 1-2 minutes per side, being careful not to overcook them.ย They are done when they turn from translucent to milky white and begin to firm up.ย Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.
- To the same pan, add orange juice and balsamic vinegar. Stir and reduce until the sauce starts to thicken, and add in the butter or ghee and continue to cook until the sauce thickens more. Taste and add salt to your preference. (There won't be too much sauce, but you just need a little! I recommend using a small spatula to get all of the sauce out of the pan)
- Drizzle the sauce over the peas and scallops and enjoy!
Notes
I like to serve this with cauliflower puree, as you can see in the last picture in the post ๐
One response to “Bay Scallops with Snap Peas and Bacon”
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Love it. Simple scallops, cooked properly, and a more involved side dish. Love that combo!