Pan Seared Scallops with Fettuccine in Bacon Fennel Cream Sauce

Pan Seared Scallops with Fettuccine in Bacon Fennel Cream Sauce

Serves 4

2 dozen large scallops
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
12 ounces whipping cream
4 slices crisp cooked bacon
2 tbsp very finely chopped fennel (if fresh fennel is not available you can substitute ½ tsp ground fennel seed)
Salt and pepper to taste

350 g package fresh cooked fettuccine pasta

Chop bacon into small pieces and cook until crisp in a large sauté pan. Drain fat and discard. Return bacon to the same sauté pan and add garlic, whipping cream, fennel, pepper and salt to taste. Stir well scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze the bacon from the pan. Simmer for a few minutes until sauce slightly thickens.

In a separate heavy bottomed sauté pan heat olive oil until very hot on medium high heat. Lightly salt the scallops and sear them in the olive oil for only about 2 minutes per side. Sear the scallops a few at a time and don’t crowd the pan. Serve Scallops over the fettuccine and spoon the sauce over the top.