Broiled Scallops And Bacon Hors D'oeuvres

Remove any tough cartilage from the sides of the scallops, wipe off any bits of shell, and pat them dry. In a large frying pan, partially cook bacon until it has released its fat but is still limp and flexible; remove it to brown paper or paper towels and drain it well. Cut the bacon pieces in halves or thirds so that they are just long enough to wrap around a scallop with a slight overlap.

Wrap each scallop with a piece of bacon and secure the wrap with a toothpick. Place the wrapped scallops on a rack that is set in a baking pan and cook under a preheated broiler, turning once, just until the bacon is crisp and the scallops are opaque. Serve immediately.

Variations: Roll the scallops in pancetta or prosciutto instead of bacon. Add something crunchy - a length of scallion or a thin slice of kohlrabi - next to the scallop before rolling it in the bacon. Substitute drained water chestnuts for one-third of the scallops