Recipe of the Month: Scallops with Fennel and Bacon

This is an easy recipe, taken from The Cook's Encyclopedia of Four Ingredient Cooking by Joanna Farrow:

(2) Small or (1) Large Fennel bulbs

(1/2) Cup Mascarpone cheese

(8) Large Scallops or 1/2lb medium scallops

(4-6) Pieces of bacon

Trim, halve and remove center root of fennel. Slice fennel, reserving and chopping 1/2 cup of the feathery tops. Blanch the slices of fennel in boiling water, 3-7 minutes, until soft. Drain.

Preheat the broiler oven to medium. Place the fennel in a shallow flameproof dish and season with salt and pepper. Dot the Mascarpone cheese on the fennel and broil for about 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the fennel is lightly browned.

Meanwhile, pat the scallops dry on a paper towel and season lightly with Konriko. Cook bacon in a large, heavy skillet until crisp. Drain and keep warm. Cook the scallops in the bacon grease 1-2 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

Transfer the fennel to serving plates. Chop the bacon into bite sized pieces and sprinkle over the fennel. Pile the scallops on the bacon and garnish with the reseved fennel tops.