Scallops With Braised Lentils
6 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup lentils
3 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
2 tbls butter
1 lb scallops
3 tbls white wine vinegar
Chopped fresh parsley
Cook bacon until browned. Drain and reserve. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil, reserving balance. Add onion and carrot to drippings in pan and saute until oniuon is almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add lentils, stock, and bay leaf. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook until lentils are tender.* Set aside and keep warm.
Melt butter in heavy skillet over high heat. Season scallops with salt & pepper. Add to skillet and stir until just cooked, about 3 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
Add vinegar to skillet, bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Whisk in enough reserved bacon drippings to make a dressing.
Make a bed in lentils. Spoon scallops over lentils. Spoon dressing over scallops and sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley.
*Depending on color, lentils can cook in from as little as 5 minutes (Red) to as much as 40 (Indigo)
Notes: Can be made with either bay scallops or large sea scallops. With the latter, sear on both ends, until scallop is just cooked through. Cut into thirds, and overlap these scallop coins on the lentils.
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