Sharing a fun seafood recipe today that I’m officially naming the most essential dish of summer: seared scallops with sautéed corn, crispy bacon, and a vibrant chimichurri sauce. It’s simple, absolutely mouthwatering, and perfect for summer entertaining.
Recipes that are minimal in ingredients and come together easily, yet are exciting and dinner party-worthy, are my kind of recipes. Especially in the summertime! Fresh ingredients, flavorful combinations, and simple rustic cooking are what I’m all about this time of year.
And these scallops are no exception.
Bacon is rendered down until crisp, and sweet corn is sautéed in the bacon fat…seasoned simply with salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. When corn is in season like it is right now, it doesn’t need much else (and it cooks incredibly fast). Meanwhile, the sea scallops are seared in a hot pan until golden and crisp.
The sauce that brings it all together? A zippy, vibrant chimichurri. I’m using the Cuisinart Stainless Steel 13-Cup Food Processor to make this as easy as possible. Fresh herbs, a shallot, a little fresh chile pepper, and garlic go right on in and get pulsed until finely chopped. You’ll stir in olive oil, a good amount of vinegar, sliced scallions, and a pinch of salt at the end. It’s my go-to sauce for making any dish really bright and full of flavor.
The chimichurri can be made ahead which makes this the perfect recipe to entertain with. I’d make a simple cherry tomato pasta on the side and maybe serve a big farmers market salad as well.
I hope you enjoy!!
PrintScallops with Sautéed Corn & Chimichurri
seared scallops with sautéed corn, crispy bacon, and a vibrant chimichurri sauce
serves: 4
Ingredients
Chimichurri
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 1 red fresno chile pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 cups packed parsley leaves
- 1 cup packed basil leaves
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Scallops & Sautéed Corn
- 6 oz raw bacon, diced
- 4 ears corn, kernel sliced off the cob
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 ½ lbs sea scallops
- olive oil
Instructions
Chimichurri
- Combine the shallot, chile pepper, garlic, parsley, and basil in the food processor.
- Pulse until finely chopped.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the scallions, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt. Set aside until ready to serve.
Scallops with Sautéed Corn
- Gently tear the small side muscle off of each scallop. Let the scallops sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Add the diced bacon to a large skillet over medium heat. Allow the bacon to cook for about 3 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to render the bacon for about 15-16 minutes longer, or until crisp, stirring often.
- Transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the corn. Season well with a generous pinch of salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Sauté until golden and tender, just a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a large stainless-steel pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to just coat the bottom. Season the scallops with a good pinch of salt. Place the scallops into the hot oil. Cook until golden and crisp on one side, about 2 minutes.
- Flip the scallops and finish cooking for just another minute on the other side.
- Transfer the corn to a large plate. Place the scallops on top and garnish with the bacon. Spoon the chimichurri over the entire dish.
[This post is sponsored by Cuisinart. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands I love!]
That was the most delicious meal. Incredible! Teen yo senior cleaned their plates!
Hi, is it possible to make this dish with shrimps or fish? Not a big fan of scallops. I love your recipes. My favorite so far is the honey roasted winter veggies! Loved it!
Hi there! YES, absolutely. I think shrimp would be great. Just sauté the shrimp until golden and cooked through and serve them over the corn. Hope you love it!
I made the the Scallops with Sauteed Corn and Chimichurri for dinner the other night and it was so delicious!! Both my husband and I loved it and agreed it was good enough for company! Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Debra! I am SO happy to hear and am glad you enjoyed it! Definitely such a great dish for entertaining in the summer. Thanks for sharing the lovely feedback!