Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Chili Butter

When Sarah announced that the category for this recipe swap was a special occasion meal, I was excited. The last time I participate I got a recipe for steak with a bleu cheese sauce and I found out that I actually like bleu cheese more than I previously thought!

I was thrilled when I received this recipe because it just so happened that scallops were on sale this week at the store.

Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Chili Butter
Source: Sweet Beginnings slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Servings: 4
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Ingredients:

1 lb. sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry
6-10 slices bacon, cut in half
salt and pepper
4 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. chili powder
dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Season both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper. Wrap half a piece of bacon around each scallop and secure with a toothpick. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Broil for 7 minutes, then flip over and broil for another 7-8 minutes or until the scallops are lightly browned and the bacon is crispy.
4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the chili powder and cayenne pepper.
5. Serve scallops hot drizzled with butter on top.

I was really curious to see how the bacon was going to turn out in this recipe. 90% of the time, when you make bacon wrapped scallops you end up with overcooked scallops because you're patiently waiting for the bacon to get crispy enough. It was definitely not the case in this recipe. Using the broiler provides more of an even coverage for the bacon and flipping it halfway through allows for all sides of the bacon to get crispy without overcooking the scallop.

The chili butter is a really nice touch that I wouldn't have thought of on my own. It mixes well with the bacon and provides just a little kick of heat that you otherwise wouldn't expect from a scallop. I served this over wild rice with a spicy green bean recipe.