Maple Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops

Ireland  definitely inspires one to sample the delicious seafood that comes from this country surrounded by the sea.  


Sea scallops wrapped in maple bacon are a delicious pairing of briny sea delicacies with hints of caramelized maple syrup flavored bacon.  


These are a dish my son fell in love with at my sister's wedding a few years ago.





Scallop appetizers were served after her wedding.  Trays of them swept in and out of the guests.  Every time I looked at my son, he had one in hand and was beaming with delight.


"Mom,  you just have to make these!" he whispered to me at the ceremony.   "They are the best thing I have ever tasted."


I don't know how many of them he speared with his toothpick that day.  I would probably be embarrassed to know.  I do know he has been asking me to "make them" for several years now.  






Seafood, and most certainly shellfish, are some of the inspiring  options on many of the menus in Ireland.  Just looking at the marvelous seascapes induces an appetite to sample the many delectable seafood choices on many Irish menus.









Most of the roads were completely empty and we couldn't help but feel as if were the first family to lay eyes on the seascapes ahead of us.  How silly, really.  But how inspiring to imagine!


Every now and then, a small graveyard would appear ~ it's Celtic stones all knobbly and skewed.




One thing we loved about Ireland was the constant change in weather patterns throughout the day.  One minute the skies were broody and heavy and the next minute a piercing ray of sunlight would break through and cast a spotlight of illumination on some distant hillside.





The sheep laying about all over the  lush green fields looked like something out of children's story books.  They layed about lazily chewing on grass as if they were only slightly perturbed by our curiosity.


Knarled vines of wild berries were all over the peninsula. The lovely little morsels daintily ornamented  the husky green leaves enveloping them.









We left the Dingle Peninsula and decided to take a "barely there route" that crossed through the Killarney National Forest.  The route was not mentioned in my Karen Brown Guide book.  However, it ended up being one of the most beautiful drives we have ever seen.

For about 3 hours we drove in complete isolation from humanity.  The occasional farm could be seen in the distance but it was mainly goats, sheep, and waterfall after waterfall.




Drizzle fell from the sky and created a lovely haziness over all of the fields, streams, and hills.  We munched on Irish cookies that we picked up that morning and snuggled in to watch this enchanting scenery swirl by.

Not being used to seeing anyone at this point, we hardly noticed when a woman up the road a bit waved her arms wildly at us.


A bevy of cows were hurtling down the tiny "golf cart path" size road coming directly towards our car.


We skittered to a stop, stared wide-eyed at this unexpected display, waited breathlessly for all of the cattle to be herded off the road by her husband and then scooted off again looking at each other with incredulity and amusement.  






The tree {above, bottom, right} reminded us of the Whomping Willow from Harry Potter.  We could imagine its thick limbs flailing wildly!




We spent several hours here, just listening to the powerful rush of the waterfall, feeling the blowing spray of mist, and the watching the swishing of the forest tree branches as the wind blew mightily.


What a powerful and majestic send off on our last day in Ireland.  Since returning, we have enjoyed learning more about the history of this emerald country;  it has certainly not been strangers to hardship and heartache.  


However, it is clear that the many struggles that required defending  this beloved land were certainly worth each and every triumph gained towards renewed tranquility for this quiet, lovely, and beloved country.


Maple Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops
Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 20 min


Ingredients:
Scallops:
1 1/2 pounds scallops, rinsed and dried
3/4 to 1 pound thin {Snippet's Notes:  do not use thick bacon because the scallops will cook faster than the bacon} sliced maple bacon (not center cut), strips cut in half crosswise
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper


Directions:


1. Prepare the scallops: Preheat your oven broiler. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Wrap each scallop with a piece of bacon and secure with a wooden toothpick. 


2. Place the bacon-wrapped scallops onto the prepared baking sheet and season them with salt and pepper. Cook them under the broiler for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked through- turning once mid-way through.


{Snippet's Note:  if you would like these for dinner, purchase the larger scallops, but for an appetizer, the medium size scallops are better}