Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Soy Shallot Cream Sauce

I was really fooling around with this dish, having picked up some pre-bacon-wrapped scallops at my grocer, and wondering what exactly I wanted to do with them.  Operating from the premise that bacon and cream will make anything taste better, I chose those ingredients wisely.  It was nice that the grocery store already wrapped and lanced some nice, large sea scallops, but one could easily do this on one's own, and in point of fact, I will do that next time, using a thick cut bacon instead of the thin cut that the grocer used.

Ingredients

6 large sea scallops
3 thick cut slices of bacon
2 4-inch skewers
1 medium shallot, finely minced
1 tbsp finely shredded fresh ginger
dash sesame oil
3 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp paprika
non-stick cooking spray (like, Pam)
1 tbsp butter
salt & black pepper to taste

The Recipe

Soak the skewers in cold water for thirty minutes to prevent them from burning in the oven.  Rinse the scallops and pat dry with a paper towel.  Cut the bacon slices in half and wrap each scallop with a half-strip of bacon, then push them through the skewer.  You should get three wrapped scallops per skewer.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Use some non-stick spray on a small baking sheet or sheet pan, plop the scallops down so that one of the flat sides is facing up.  Roast the scallops for twenty minutes, and then turn on your broiler.  Finish the scallops with the direct heat about six inches away.  Broil for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the bacon is brown and crispy.

While the scallops are cooking, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and saute them for about five minutes until slightly caramelized.  Add the ginger and saute another minute.

Add the soy sauce, cream and paprika, blend well, and reduce by half, stirring constantly, about ten minutes.  Add the dash of sesame oil and black pepper and a pinch of salt to taste at the end before serving.

Spoon the sauce on and around the scallops on a serving plate after removing the skewers.