Seared Scallops with Blood Orange and Pancetta

The bold flavors of southern Italy are in full force in this elegant scallop dish. Beautiful blood oranges add sweetness and striking color to the sauce which is enriched with pancetta and white wine. See Pro Tips for ingredient substitutions.

• 8 ounces sea scallops 
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 medium blood orange
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ounce pancetta, cut into ¼-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot or yellow onion
• ¼ cup dry white wine, preferably Italian
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and remove and discard the silvery connective muscle along the edge. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Using a sharp knife, trim both ends of the orange so it stands upright. Following the curve, cut away the peel, removing the skin and any bitter white pith. Working over a small bowl, cut between the membranes of the orange, releasing the segments into the bowl. Squeeze the membrane to extract any juice into another bowl and set aside.

In a medium skillet, cook the pancetta in the oil over moderate heat until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a small plate and spoon off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.

Add the scallops to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat until golden, turning once, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the scallops to a plate.

Add the shallots to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, just until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and reserved orange juice and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Add the capers and butter and cook over medium heat, swirling the pan to melt the butter.

Return the scallops to the pan with any accumulated juices and turn to coat with the sauce. Stir in the pancetta and orange segments and transfer to plates. Garnish with parsley and serve right away.

Frascati is a blend of Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca di Candia, both white grapes that are dry but very fruity. Pinot Grigio is typically dry with green apple and citrus notes. Both would be perfect with this dish.

Use 1 ounce of diced bacon or chorizo in place of the pancetta. Navel oranges and grapefruits are perfectly fine if blood oranges are out of season or hard to find.

Simple buttered noodles and sautéed asparagus would be lovely accompaniments. For something a bit more elevated, serve with a creamy mushroom risotto.