Scallops Wrapped in Bacon

These little suckers are probably my favorite holiday appetizer ever. Even more favorite than these. This was also one of the rare things – together with tuna sandwiches, clam chowder and the occasional fish finger – that slipped under the radar of my childhood No Seafood Ban.

My uncle Bumpy – who you’ll be hearing more about – has made them every holiday I can remember. He and my aunt Claire live on Martha’s Vineyard, where we have Thanksgiving every year, and he gets his scallops fresh. We-shucked-them-this-morning kind of fresh. Which is the secret to making perfect scallops wrapped in bacon. Yeah, the title gives away the entire recipe. But after years of trying to improve on perfection with the organic, artisanal stuff, Bumpy swears to the balance of really good, small, fresh scallops and cheap-o bacon.

SCALLOPS WRAPPED IN BACON

This recipe could not be easier or faster. All you need are toothpicks, a tray and a broiler.

25 really good quality, small, fresh scallops

5 pieces of cheap bacon

25 toothpicks

1 lemon, quartered

Turn on your oven’s broiler. Line a baking tray with tin foil. Cut each bacon slice into 5 little pieces, then wrap each piece around a scallop, securing with a toothpick. Place the wrapped scallops on the baking tray bacon-side up, and put the tray under the broiler for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked and brown. Spill them out onto a tray, squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top, and serve hot.

Francesco risking his life