Grilled Sea Scallops Recipe

Prepare and candy bacon

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lay bacon slices in a single layer on the rack. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over each slice and grind the black pepper over the sugar. Bake for 12–18 minutes until bacon is deep golden and sugar is caramelized, watching carefully to avoid burning. Remove from oven and let cool on rack 5 minutes; the bacon will crisp up as it cools. When room temperature, chop into 1/2–inch pieces. Reserve.

Quick compress apples

Core and thinly slice the apple into 1/8-inch slices (leave skin on for texture). In a bowl, whisk apple cider vinegar, cold water, salt, and sugar until dissolved. Submerge apple slices in the pickling liquid, pressing them down with a small plate or plastic wrap so all slices are under liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Drain and pat dry just before plating. Reserve 1–2 tablespoons of the pickling liquid.

Prepare potatoes

Peel (optional) and cut potatoes into 1/4–inch dice. Rinse the cut potatoes under cold water until water runs clear to remove excess starch. Drain and dry thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Fry potatoes

In a medium skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350°F if using a thermometer). Add diced potatoes in a single layer, cook without stirring for 3–4 minutes to form a crust, then stir occasionally, cooking 10–12 minutes total until golden and tender. In the last 1 minute, add the butter and thyme, tossing to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly and keep warm.

Dry and season scallops

Pat scallops very dry with paper towels—this is essential for a good sear. Season both sides lightly with kosher salt and black pepper.

Grill or pan-sear scallops

Option A - Grill: Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat and oil the grates. Brush scallops lightly with neutral oil. Grill for about 1.5–2 minutes per side until opaque and nicely charred. Option B - Pan-sear: Heat a heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) over high heat until smoking lightly. Add neutral oil and heat until shimmering. Add scallops leaving space between them; sear without moving 1.5–2 minutes until golden brown, flip and add butter, basting for another 30–60 seconds until just cooked through. Remove scallops and rest 1 minute.

Prepare mustard dressing

In a small bowl whisk together Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, olive oil, lemon juice and 1–2 teaspoons of the reserved pickling liquid from the apples (if desired) to loosen. Taste and adjust acidity or salt as needed.

Assemble and serve

On each plate, mound a portion of crispy potatoes. Arrange 3 scallops per serving on top of or alongside the potatoes. Scatter candied bacon pieces and compressed apple slices around the scallops. Drizzle the mustard dressing lightly over scallops and potatoes, and garnish with microgreens or chopped parsley. Serve immediately while scallops are hot and potatoes are crispy.