Appetizer salad with fried sea scallops

Ingredients:

• 0.6 kg large sea scallops (about 16 pcs.)
• 2 strips of bacon
• 2 bunches watercress, tough stems trimmed
• 2 Kirby cucumbers, sliced ​​into sticks
• 1 bunch radishes, each cut into 4 pieces
• 1/3 cup instant flour (such as Wondra)
• 3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
• 4 thick slices country bread, toasted

Preparation:

1. Fry the bacon in a medium skillet until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; set the skillet aside.
2. Divide watercress, cucumbers and radishes among plates.
3. Place flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Drain most of the bacon fat from the skillet, reserving only 1 tablespoon; add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Working in batches, coat the scallops in the flour and fry until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip and fry until golden on the other side, about 2 minutes more (add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil if necessary).
4. Divide the scallops evenly among the salad plates. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and lemon juice to the pan, then remove from the heat and pour in 1-2 tablespoons of water, scraping the pan to combine any browned bits. Crumble the bacon and add it to the pan along with the chives, season with salt and pepper to taste; toss, then drizzle the dressing over the salads. Serve with bread.