Description
A delightful dish featuring seared scallops topped with crispy pancetta and pickled fennel, infused with saffron for a unique flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound sea scallops
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 1 medium bulb fennel, thinly sliced
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the white wine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add the sliced fennel. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to pickle.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the diced pancetta until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the pancetta and drain on paper towels, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
- In a small bowl, soak the saffron threads in 1 tablespoon of warm water for about 5 minutes.
- Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and season with black pepper. In the same skillet with the pancetta fat, add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
- Add the scallops to the skillet and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. During the last minute of cooking, drizzle the saffron mixture over the scallops.
- To serve, place a few slices of pickled fennel on each plate, top with the seared scallops, and sprinkle crispy pancetta and chopped parsley over the top.
Notes
- For a spicy kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the scallops while cooking.
- Substitute the scallops with shrimp for a different seafood flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Searing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 60mg