Let me start off by saying I hate dislike bacon.  Even the smell of it makes me a bit queasy.  I know, I’m totally weird.  I’ve seen bacon make even the strictest of vegetarians cave.  Even though I have a distaste for the salty cured pork, I understand and accept that I am the vast minority, and to most (normal) people, bacon makes everything better. Since I hardly ever cook for myself, I wanted to cater to the crowds (i.e. my family), so when I saw the gorgeous, fresh scallops on sale at the market, I knew they’d like it better with bacon.  Needless to say, the family was very pleased.  

Note: I made these skewers on the grill, but if you’re without one, I definitely recommend getting a grill pan for your stovetop.  You can also bake them in the oven @ 400 degrees until veggies are tender and scallops are cooked through.  Scallops may need less time than the vegetables.  If you’re like me and want to make this a meat-free dish, just leave the bacon out.

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops & Grilled Summer Vegetable Skewers

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb large sea scallops (~12 scallops)
• 6 strips of thick-cut bacon
• 2 medium yellow squash
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 large red onion
• 1 green or red bell pepper
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 large lemon
• Salt & pepper

Recipe:

Cut the vegetables into large, even size pieces, ~ 1 inch cuts.  Coat the vegetables in olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Whisk together 2 tbs of olive oil and the juice of one lemon.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cut the bacon strips in half, and wrap the strips around the diameter of the scallop.  Dip the bacon-wrapped scallops in the lemon-olive oil mixture so they are fully coated.  Take a metal skewer, and add the vegetables and scallops, alternating between the squash, zucchini, onion, pepper and scallop, as pictured above.

Coat the grill with vegetable oil to ensure a stick-free surface.  Add the skewers to the grill and cook for approximately 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the bacon and scallops are cooked through.

Serve with your choice of sides (I served with a chopped salad and french bread).