Bacon Studded Scallops with a Blood Orange, Champagne & Tarragon Beurre Blanc

INGREDIENTS

• 8-10 scallops

• Finely chopped, cooked bacon

• Caviar

• 24k Gold Leaf

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Blood Orange, Champagne & Tarragon Beurre Blanc

• 1 blood orange (or regular orange)

• 1/4 cup champagne or white wine

• 1-2 finely chopped shallots

• 1T olive oil

• 1/4 cup cold butter cut into 3-4 chunks (put in the freezer before starting)

• 1 t dried tarragon

• Salt & pepper

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Serves 3-4

1. Make the Beurre Blanc: Saute shallots in a pan with olive oil on medium heat. Add champagne, juice from orange, dried tarragon, salt and white pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil then simmer until there is 1-2T of liquid left in the pan. Bring heat down and begin to add butter one chunk at a time continuously stirring and melting each chunk completely before adding the next. The sauce should now be a pale pink color and velvety texture! Strain and set aside.

2. Sear the scallops: Season with salt then cover scallops in a light layer of olive oil. Cook in a hot pan until 120F internal.

3. Roll edges of the scallops in the beurre blanc and then roll in the finely chopped cooked bacon. (I love scallops wrapped in bacon but because bacon takes so much longer to cook, the scallops get rubbery and the bacon doesn’t get that crunch. This technique allows perfectly tender scallops and crunchy bacon in each bite!).

4. Top with caviar and gold leaf. Serve with a glass of champagne. Enjoy!
   

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