Scallops in a Ramp Are Better Than Scallops in Bacon
I never fully understood the appeal of scallop in bacon. While I love both of these treasures, jerky bacon is too aggressive for a tender, sweet scallop. This is a self-destructive gilding of lilies and I don’t like it. Plus, if you don’t cook it ahead of time , the bacon won’t have time to digest properly. But a seared scallop wrapped in a ramp (which is basically curled garlic)? This, my friends, is a kind of bougie decadence that this rampscallion can overcome.
Like scallops, simple preparations are best when it comes to ramps. Fat, salt, and warmth are all you need to make them sing, and the garlic, withered ramp leaf provides enough piquant contrast without detracting from the soft and sweet allure of the scallop. Use salted butter and you don’t even need to season anything (unless you want pepper, which is your prerogative). Just wrap, fry and eat. To craft these Spring Sea Treasures, you will need:
- 1/2 lb large scallops (about 5 or 6)
- 5 or 6 ramps
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
Clean the ramps well – they’re wild after all – and remove the leaves from the rest of the onions (save for baking, frying, or making pesto). Wrap each leaf around a comb and secure with a toothpick. Heat butter in a stainless steel skillet over high heat until it stops frothing and begins to brown. Add scallops and cook for about a minute and a half on each side (crust should be about 1/4 inch thick on top and bottom). While the scallops are cooking, drizzle browning oil over the ramp leaves to soften. Serve immediately.