Our sons love to cook and share recipes with me, which makes me very happy! They send me links to their latest discoveries, and I often save them to try. The most recent recipe is this warm lentil salad with scallops. Bacon, dijon, and capers speak my love language. How could I not give it a try? The salad could easily stand alone, but the scallops made it next level. We cooked the scallops in a cast-iron skillet outside on the Traeger so they didn’t stink up the house. I’ve learned from past experiences that scallop odors can linger for a long time in the house. Please let me know if you try it.
Warm Lentil Salad With Grilled Scallops
Ingredients
For the Lentils
- 1 1/2 cups green lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon cut into thin strips
- 2 large scallions
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs (I used marjoram, parsley, and thyme)
- extra virgin olive oil
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Scallops
- 1 lb scallops
- butter
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
To Cook Lentils
- Place lentils and chicken stock in a large saucepan. Cook according to package instructions. Be careful not to overcook them. Drain.
To Make the Marinade
- Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
Cook Bacon
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add thinly sliced bacon. Cook until crisp, stirring often, about 4-5 minutes. Drain bacon on a paper towel lined plate.
Assemble
- Transfer lentils to a serving bowl. Toss with marinade, fresh herbs, and bacon.
Grill Scallops
- Melt enough butter in a cast-iron skillet to coat the pan.
- Add scallops and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until brown on both sides.
Serve
- Divide lentil salad evenly among four plates. Top with scallops.
