Oh my goodness, I have got a SHOW STOPPING recipe for you tonight.
Introducing my BACON-WRAPPED-SCALLOPS with Bacon-Wrapped Dates for dessert!
Clearly, I am not reinventing the wheel here, however, this is a breakdown/how-to in case you — like myself — have never made them before, and need a little encouragement to do so!
These were amazing and such a treat. This was definitely a “special occasion” kind of a dinner, and boy was it divine.
There’s something about the meaty, smokey bacon, paired with the buttery, melt-in-your-mouth scallops that just tastes so…*decadent.*
And the bacon wrapped dates for dessert?! DO NOT sleep on these, my friends. They were the best part of the meal! They tasted like the best pancakes with maple syrup breakfast you’ve ever had. And the dates almost melt in the oven, making them almost jammy. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Plus, this meal is 100% Specific Carbohydrate Diet friendly, it’s gluten free, and it’s pure bliss!
Here’s What You Need: (Serves 2)
1 lb of sea scallops (ours were LARGE and 6-to-a-pound)
1 package of bacon (SCD use SUGAR FREE — this is the brand I like)
Salt and Pepper
Italian seasoning
4 medjool dates, whole – pitted
Raw honey
Tools:
2 Baking sheets
Nonstick tinfoil
Parchment paper
Toothpicks
Disposable latex gloves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
On a parchment-lined baking sheet, par-cook your bacon for 10 minutes, until it is beginning to shrink, and the fat is becoming opaque.
Meanwhile, prep your scallops. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. *We used Greek seasoning this particular time, and it was fabulous.*
Once par-cooked, remove the bacon from the oven, and with latex-gloved hands wrap a piece of bacon around each scallop and secure with a toothpick. (If using smaller scallops, you can use 1/2 a piece of bacon per scallop.
Spread out on a separate, nonstick-tinfoil-lined baking sheet. **Protip: if you have a baking wire/cooling rack, I would place that on top of the baking sheet, and bake with the scallops on top of the wire rack so the bacon becomes extra crispy.
At this time, also wrap your dates in half a piece of bacon, securing with a toothpick. Bake on a separate nonstick tinfoil-lined baking sheet. (Or you can fold up the tin foil to create a little ridge, and bake them on the same baking tray).
Bake for 15 minutes, until the bacon is crispy.
Drizzle the cooked bacon wrapped dates with honey for an extra treat!
Serve with a baked potato (or squash (SCD)), roasted broccoli and a crisp Greek salad!
(BTW this is THE BEST Greek salad dressing EVER — and it doesn’t have any seed oils in it — only Extra Virgin Olive Oil!)
Holy cow. When I say, this is gourmet restaurant quality, I mean it! Not only are these little bacon/scallop packages so beautiful, but they are flavor PACKED.
I didn’t really appreciate it when I was pescatarian, BUT…bacon really does make everything better!
I mean, I feel like I’ve missed out on so much deliciousness! haha
And we found a brand of bacon that is sugar free — which is necessary for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet — and Steven, who I like to consider a meat connoisseur, after trying the sugar free bacon, he actually prefers it to your traditional maple bacon or applewood smoked bacon. He says you really get a a pure, unadulterated bacon flavor!
So there you have it! Do yourself a favor and make this delicious meal! It will be one your definitely won’t forget!
And also – I released a YouTube video this afternoon, be sure to check it out!