Ingredients

20 large sea scallops

4 oz olive oil (to cover pan)

1 cup flour

1 Tbs butter

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced pancetta (4 oz)

8 medium Shitake mushrooms

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup Madeira wine

salt

white pepper

Preparation

  1. Lightly coat the scallops in flour and shake off excess. Heat the olive oil in a pan until it begins to shimmer or smoke.

  2. Sear scallops until the edges at the bottom begin to brown. Turn over and repeat being careful not to overcook. Note: nudging the scallops sideways in the pan after a minute of searing can help keep the crust intact.

  3. As you’re searing the scallops, brown the pancetta in a separate frying pan. When the pancetta starts to get brown, add the onion and the Shitake mushrooms. Slowly cook until the onions and mushrooms soften.

  4. When done searing the scallops, get rid of the excess oil in the scallop pan, and add Madeira wine (off heat). Use a spatula to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan (deglaze).

  5. Add the pancetta, onions and mushrooms from the other pan. Add the cream and stir until the sauce thickens. Add salt and white pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the scallops and serve.