Spinach Salad With Grilled Apple Cured Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallop

I cobbled together this salad one summer evening, while sipping on some chardonnay. It was so easy and good that now it's one of our summer staples. I've tried this in many different variations, substituting ingredients like Blue Chees instead of Feta, Marinating and pan searing, the scallops in reserved bacon fat and Olive Oil, making my own jumbo crutons. I even tried other baby greens mixes. No matter how I vary it, the combo of Warm Bacon, Scallops and eggs over spinach salad is just delicious.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  cup wine, Chardonnay (for the cook)
• 10 -16  ounces spinach, Organic Baby Washed (I use a bag or box of organic washed baby Spinach or mixed baby greens)
• 1  cup tomatoes (sweet grape or cherry work nicely, but of course use whatever fresh garden tomatoes you might have)
• 1⁄2 cup carrot, baby (whole, sliced, matchstick whatever you feel like that day)
• 1⁄4 cup feta, crumbled (more or less)
• 3⁄4 cup crouton, garlic and butter (or to your liking)
• 8  slices bacon (Carando Apple cured bacon works best)
• 8  sea scallops
• 3  eggs
• 1⁄4 cup  vinaigrette dressing (or use whatever is your favorite)

Directions

1. Pour yourself a glass of your favorite cold beverage and have a sip.
2. Wash and pat dry all the vegetables. A salad spinner works well for the spinach if you have one. Remove any large stems from spinach. Cut the carrots how you like them or not at all. Arrange all the vegetables nicely in a large bowl or into individual serving bowls. Cover, set aside in fridge or otherwise keep cool.
3. Preheat the grill.
4. Don't forget a sip of your optional ingredient before your hands get messy.
5. Cut each scallop in half with the grain. Wrap each half with 1/2 slice bacon, and skewer it.
6. Place the eggs in a 2 quart saucepan, fill the pan ~2/3 way with cold water. Bring the water to boil, reduce heat to low and cook eggs for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and douse with cold water to stop the cooking.
7. While the eggs are cooking, grill the scallops in bacon over medium heat until the bacon gets nicely cooked. By that time the scallops should be done. Done scallops are tender but not mushy. If they feel like a pencil eraser, that's probably overdone. That said, the bacon wrap seems to keep the scallops from drying out - to a point.
8. Get the salad(s) out. Add the feta and crutons so it looks pretty (if you're still feeling 'pretty' at this point).
9. Take and peel the eggs, slice them and splay the warm slices over the top of the salad(s).
10. Remove Scallops from skewers over to top of the salad(s).
11. Top with your favorite dressing.