Scallops and bacon are a classic combination.
How can you go wrong with bacon anything?
The only thing that can top bacon in my book is prosciutto. That’s exactly what I used to take this Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops recipe to the next level. That, and truffle balsamic.
As you may have seen, Vegas and I are in Italy right now. It’s my favorite place in the world, filled with my favorite food. Luckily we live right near the Little Italy neighborhood in San Diego, so we get a taste of heaven pretty regularly.
There is a massive weekly market in Little Italy where you can get local produce, peanut butter, live sea urchin… and fresh prosciutto.
For this recipe, I used my favorite Sizzlefish scallops. Vegas actually commented about how fresh they taste after taking a bite of this. They’re flash frozen to ensure a fresh taste, then individually portioned… perfect for spur-of-the-moment diners like us!
Yes, this was a quickie dinner. It only looks fancy! I had a bit of the prosciutto left over and was looking for a good use for it. I’m not kidding when I tell you this was done in under 20 minutes.
If you’re someone who’s leery of searing scallops at home, don’t be. They don’t make a huge mess, and you can avoid over cooking them just by touch. If the scallops bounce back slightly, they’re done. If they feel mushy, cook them longer. They also turn from translucent to opaque; just make sure to watch them closely.
One important tip for this recipe: make sure to dry the scallops off before wrapping them. It helps the buttery prosciutto stick to them better.
I served this with a parsley-arugula salad and cherry tomatoes. Any sort of greens would be a great compliment to these flavorful scallops!
[Tweet “Prosciutto-wrapped scallops #recipe – it only LOOKS complicated!”]
Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops with Balsamic
- 8 sea scallops (I used Sizzlefish)
- 8 slices of prosciutto
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 fresh lemon, halved
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Balsamic reduction, to finish (I used this truffle balsamic)
Fold prosciutto slices in half lengthwise. Wrap one piece around the outside of each scallop, overlapping prosciutto ends and securing with a toothpick.
Heat pan to med-high and drizzle pan with the olive oil.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over each scallop, squeeze lemon over them, and place in pan. Cook 6-7 minutes, turning once, until just opaque. They are done when the prosciutto is a light brown crisp and the scallops are slightly golden.
Plate and drizzle with high-quality balsamic.
Makes 2 servings.
***
I wish I could bring a whole chunk of prosciutto back fro Italy. Guess I’ll settle for a case of wine…
Have you ever made scallops at home?
Would you rather have bacon or prosciutto? Or vegan bacon?
I’ve tried vegan bacon and alls am gonna say is that it just cannot fill those spots in my heart that only bacon occupies (literally)! I usually just sear my scallops with a few basic spices but these prosciutto wrapped ones sound insanely delicious! BTW, hope yall have a wonderful time in Italy!
Oh yeah… there’s nothing vegan that replaces bacon. Or cheese. But at least you can have scallops! Maybe with some liquid smoke you can get a little bit of a bacon taste?
I think these look glorious, and I tend to avoid meat and fish. That’s winning right there.
Except for that time you ate bacon-wrapped dates… 😉
Those are some of my husband’s favorite foods all in one!
Truffle balsamic is the best thing ever! I hope you’re having an amazing time!!
I miiiiight have come back with truffle oil, truffle honey, truffle balsamic pearls… it got a little out of hand.
Do people grill scallops? Because I bet these would be great grilled.
Oh yes – they’re fantastic on a grill!
Prosciutto??? Scallops??? Truffle Balsamic??? This is why I am a loyal reader to Sprint2thetable. 🙂 I’m so happy you and Vegas are enjoying Italy. I’ve seared scallops a few times, and they were easier and tastier than I thought the would be. I need to keep on practicing, but I think I’m on the right track.
Hahaha! This is why I love your comments. 😉
But yes, seafood of any kind always intimidated me. Not I do it all the time as a quick and easy meal!
I’m smiling every time I think of you two in Italy. It is the place of eternal happiness!! And prosciutto is probably one of my most favorite things on the planet. I would take it over bacon any day…but I would also take them both.
Happy travels and keep the pics coming!
We almost didn’t come back. Italy really is the happiest place on earth – forget Disney!
Oh my goodness these look amazing!! I’m going to try to make this as a surprise for my husband some time this month 🙂
Thank you! I’d love to hear what you think!
For some reason, I’m not getting your posts. Weird! Anywho, what a great seafood dish. My stepdad loves scallops; they’re his favorite seafood. Sizzlefish is such a great company if you’re gonna order seafood. I also love that they’re local to me, right in NC! 🙂
Oh no! Thanks for checking in though (and letting me know)… I’ll see if I can make sense of the technical stuff. Oy.
NC has some great products – my favorite seafood, my favorite hummus… beer… LOL!
The way you describe it as ‘buttery prosciutto’ sounds so good. 🙂 I’m not a huge scallops gal, but maybe I would like this?
I’d say this is a good one to start with! Especially if you like prosciutto. 🙂
I cannot stop dreaming of the scallops I had in Europe, so thanks for ONLY INTENSIFYING THOSE DREAMMMMSSSSS!
For sure! how can you go wrong with bacon anything. Your tip on cooking scallops is so helpful: the touch test. I’ll admit, I’m always scared to overcook the expensive seafood! PS. I found your Yum button! (It was originally blocked by my adblocker…which I turned off!)
Thanks! I hope that is useful to you. It’s how I cook burgers, steaks, chicken… everything. LOL!
Glad you found the button – thanks for letting me know! 🙂