Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Jalapeno Papaya Sauce

I found this recipe on the Food Network website and how could I resist?  Bacon, jalapeno, and scallops?  It's like a dream come true.     I made a few changes to the recipe to make the sauce a bit more intense - I like it spicy!

Also, please view my very first video episode for this blog!  My boyfriend Kyle and his friend Paul, both film students, were kind enough to film the preparation of this dish.  Check it out!

Cooking and Entertaining with Leah: Episode One


Ingredients:
1 pound sea scallops
6-8 slices bacon
1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 - 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and ribs removed (if desired)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and ground black pepper to taste


Directions:
Cook the bacon in a skillet until about halfway done, a bit crispy on the edges but still flexible.  This is so the bacon will crisp in the oven, and cook at the same rate as the scallops, which cook very quickly.  Drain bacon on paper towels.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.


Halve bacon slices and wrap each half slice around one of the sea scallops. Secure with a toothpick, and place on the baking sheet. Continue until all of the scallops have been wrapped.  Place baking sheet in oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until scallops are cooked through (opaque).


While scallops are cooking, prepare papaya sauce. In a food processor, combine diced papaya, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, and spices.  Pulse ingredients until pureed. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.


Serve scallops right out of the oven, with the papaya sauce drizzled over the top.  Delicious!


Tips - This recipe makes way more sauce than necessary, but it is very tasty and makes a great salsa as well. I served the remaining sauce the next day to my co-workers with tortilla chips.  If you want a chunkier sauce, or if you just don't have a food processor, you can make this as a chunky salsa by just chopping all of the ingredients and mixing in a bowl.


Enjoy and see you in the next episode!