Pan-seared scallops with crispy bacon

One of the easiest methods for experimenting with Australian Indigenous ingredients in your cooking is to start by making simple swaps in your favourite recipes, like cooking these pan-seared scallops in lemon myrtle olive oil, instead of olive oil.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Stream free On Demand

Makin' Bacon

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

PG

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

PG

Ingredients

• 3 bacon rashers
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
• 2 long red chillies
• 2 avocados, diced
• ¼ red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, deseeded, roughly chopped
• ½ small bunch coriander, roughly chopped, plus a few leaves to serve
• 1 tbsp lime juice, plus wedges to serve
• 1 tbsp lemon myrtle olive oil (see Note)
• 12 scallops
• Salt
• 4 sourdough slices, toasted
• Karkalla, to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Lay the bacon flat on the tray, then bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crisp and very dry. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and allow to cool completely. Once cool, transfer to a small food processor with the coriander seeds and process to a fine powder.
   
2. Finely chop half the chilli, then combine in a medium bowl with the avocado, onion, tomato, coriander and lime juice. Mash with a fork until you have a rough paste.
   
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Season the scallops with salt, then sear for 30 seconds each side, or until just opaque. Spread the avocado mixture on the toasted sourdough.
   
4. To serve, thinly slice the remaining chilli (de-seed, if you prefer less heat!). Top the avocado bread with three scallops a-piece, then sprinkle with the bacon dust, chilli and a few coriander leaves. Serve with the karkalla and extra lime wedges on the side.

Note

• This lemon myrtle olive oil is available from Sharon Winsor’s online stockist, Indigiearth.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Makin' Bacon

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

PG

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

24m

PG