Pan-Seared Scallops with a Butternut Squash Puree and Sautéed Spinach and Bacon

This recipe is inspired by a favorite dish that I got at Clyde’s Restaurant. This is the perfect, late-fall/early-winter scallop dish. The maple in the puree plays perfectly off of the saltiness of the bacon and the scallops’ natural sweetness. I need it to be butternut squash season again!

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Ingredients:

For the puree:

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and quartered

Chili Powder

Cinnamon

Salt and Pepper

1 ½ tbsp of maple syrup

1 tbsp of heavy cream

2 tbsp of unsalted butter

For the scallops:

12 oz fresh dry-packed scallops

2 strips of bacon

Salt and Pepper

2 cups of baby spinach

1 garlic clove, minced

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425℉. Prepare your squash. Coat in vegetable oil, a dash of chili powder and cinnamon, and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Toss with your hands to coat. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn with a spatula and continue roasting for 20-30 minutes, or until tender. 

  2. Place bacon in a cold, large pan that you would cook scallops in (I recommend using stainless steel for fish, especially scallops). Heat over medium, flipping occasionally until browned. When bacon is browned, remove bacon from the pan. Let bacon drain on a paper towel.

  3. Increase heat of the pan with bacon fat to medium high. Add an additional teaspoon of vegetable oil. Pat the scallops dry between two clean paper towels. You want the scallops to be as clean and dry as possible. When the pan is hot, season the scallops with salt and pepper on one side and immediately sear the scallops. If you add the salt too early, liquid will draw to the surface of the scallops and they will not brown. Cook for about 4 minutes. The scallops are just about ready when they automatically release from the pan-- you do not want to tear the scallops, they are delicate. Flip and continue cooking for 2 minutes, being careful not to overcook the scallops.

  4. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a small sauté pan. Add spinach and garlic and season with salt and pepper, tossing until spinach wilts and garlic is fragrant. Using your hands, tear pieces of bacon into the sautéing spinach, set aside. 

  5. In a food processor, combine roasted squash, maple syrup, heavy cream, and butter together. Pulse until smooth, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. 

  6. Serve the scallops atop a swoosh of the puree, with the sautéed spinach woven between them.