Diver Scallops With Charred Sweet Corn, Bacon And Scallions

Montauk is the main fishing town on Long Island, and the local docks offer some of the freshest seafood you’ll find on the East Coast, including diver scallops, which are harvested by hand instead of with nets dragged over the ocean floor. Taking center stage in this dish, these scallops are lightly grilled and set atop charred summer-sweet corn with crunchy scallions and a squeeze of lemon. When making this for a crowd, we prepare the corn ahead of time and assemble the components at the last possible moment. Follow the recipe below from our book, Host.

Diver Scallops With Charred Sweet Corn, Bacon And Scallions
makes 4 servings

For The Corn
6 ears of corn, husks removed
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup of ¼-inch wide bacon cubes
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted

1. Light a grill. Lightly oil the ears of corn with the canola oil. When the grill is very hot, grill the corn over high heat for 5 minutes, turning to get a light char on all sides.
2. Remove the corn from the grill and let it cool. Cut the kernels off the cobs and reserve.
3. Place a large sauté pan on the stove over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes.
4. Drain the bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat and discard the rest (or save for another use).

5. When you’re ready to serve, in a large sauté pan melt the butter with the reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Add the corn, salt and pepper and heat through, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Transfer the corn to a serving platter, spreading the kernels into a thick layer.

For The Scallops
20 sea scallops
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ lemon
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced at an angle (½ cup), for garnish

1. Light the grill (if it’s not still lit from the corn).
2. Dry the scallops thoroughly with paper towels and toss with the olive oil. Season lightly with sea salt and pepper.
3. When the grill is very hot, grill the scallops over high heat until just translucent in the middle, about 3 minutes per side (this will depend on how thick your scallops are).

4. Transfer the scallops to the platter of charred corn. Finish with a squeeze of lemon over the platter and garnish with the scallions. Serve immediately.