Ingredients for the Bread Crumbs
- 4 slices leftover bread or any type of stale bread
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 sprigs rosemary (without the stems), chopped
- 8 sage leaves, chopped
- Dash of balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Ingredients for the Scallops
- 12 fresh jumbo scallops
- ½ pound chanterelle mushrooms
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 cloves garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 slices pancetta, diced
- ¼ cup butter
Directions
1. To make the bread crumbs: start by baking the bread slices at 350˚F for about 8 minutes. Once the bread is crispy and turns a golden brown, place it in a blender or food processor to reduce it to a fine grind without any visible pieces of bread.
2. In a bowl, add some salt and pepper, the freshly chopped rosemary and sage, a dash of balsamic vinegar, and drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on the breadcrumbs, making sure they do not get soggy and clump together. Toss the mixture together and add more salt and pepper to taste. This bread-crumb mixture needs to be very flavorful.
3. To make the scallops: Clean the scallops by rinsing them under some cold water. Use paper towels to lightly pat them dry. Coat each scallop in the bread-crumb mixture. Be sure to coat them well. Set the scallops aside.
4. Next, rinse the chanterelles under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Use a mandoline or a chef’s knife to julienne (slice) the mushrooms into thin pieces (this will allow them to cook faster and get nice and crispy).
5. In a nonstick pan on high heat, heat 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then add the sprigs of thyme and garlic cloves. Once the mixture is hot, add the mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste, and saute for at least 5 minutes until the mushrooms start to wilt. Reduce the heat to low and let the mushrooms cook slowly for about 15 minutes, without moving them around, so that they can get crispy.
6. Once the mushrooms are cooked and crispy, remove them from the pan and set them aside on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Using the same pan, cook the diced pancetta on low heat until it’s crispy, about 5 minutes. You want to use the same pan in which the mushrooms were cooked so that the pancetta will absorb the flavor of the mushrooms.
7. To cook the scallops, use a small nonstick pan on medium heat and heat up to 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Make sure the pan is hot before adding the scallops. If the pan is not hot enough, the scallops with stick to the pan and burn. Cook them for about 4 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown.
8. Assembly: Line the mushrooms on a long rectangular plate, and then place a scallop on top of each of the mushrooms. Sprinkle some pancetta on top of each scallop and finish by drizzling a bit of extra virgin olive oil over the entire dish.