NEW RECIPE: Bacon Curried Scallops with Green Onion Rice

© Constantine William Spyrou

One of my favorite combinations has to be fresh seafood and warm heat. The best way to achieve that for me is through a seafood curry. Seafood curry isn't too popular because of the fact that the curry sauce can cause the seafood to overcook and be rubbery or dry, but if you can pair the two together without causing this, seafood curry is a match made in heaven. 

For this seafood curry, I chose to use scallops because of their sweet and dense flesh that is just brilliant. It gets some help from the rich and fatty bacon that is used to bolster the curry sauce that the scallops are served over. Keeping the scallops and curry sauce more separate like this keeps the scallops from overcooking and being rubber. Coupled with the rich and creamy curry sauce and some fresh green onion rice, this match is one that you'll love! 

Recipe will make 2 servings.

For the Scallops: 

12 diver scallops, cleaned
Salt and Pepper to season
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

For the Curry Sauce:

2 ounces of bacon, chopped into small squares
1 clove minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 of a jalapeno, chopped
1 diced white onion
1 diced carrot
1 cup shrimp stock (veggie stock also works for this)
1/4 cup heavy cream
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons turmeric
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and Pepper to season

For the Rice:

2 cups uncooked rice
Water
Salt and Pepper to season
1/2 cup chopped green onion

Cooking/Assembling:

1. Wash the rice and place it in a small saucepan or pot. Season, cover with water to just over the limit, and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until all the rice is tender. When the rice is done, mix in the chopped green onion.
2. In a hot pan with a small amount of olive oil, fry the bacon until its nice and crisp with some salt and pepper for seasoning. Take the bacon pieces out of the pan, but leave the rendered out fat in to help cook the scallops.
3. Combine the seasonings for the scallop together and season evenly by applying the seasoning from a height (grab some in your hand, raise it high above the scallops, and let it rain down). Season both sides, then cook the scallops 6 at a time, searing to a nice golden color on each side. Total cooking time for each set of 6 scallops is no more than 2-3 minutes.
4. Once the scallops are out, add the bacon back to the pan. Add the garlic, onion, ginger, jalapeno, and carrot. When the carrots begin to soften and the onions turn translucent, deglaze the pan with the shrimp/veggie stock. Add the lime juice, curry powder, turmeric, and heavy cream.
5. Combine the sauce well, then place into a blender and make the sauce creamy and smooth. Place back in the pan and cook it out for 5 minutes.
6. Just before the sauce comes out of the pan, add the chopped cilantro and stir well.
7. Place the sauce on the bottom of half of the plate. Place 6 scallops over it, and serve with the green onion rice.

This is a fresh but spicy and delicious hot curry that is great with the scallops and will work together brilliantly. I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think, and if you try making it, let me know how it turns out and what you would change! Enjoy! =)