Originally Posted by vagabond

Note: This is a great recipe and I just had to share it.

Makes 4 servings

Relish:

- 1 ½ cups ¼-inch diced cantaloupe, French Charentais, or other ripe firm melon

- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

- 1 ½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

- 1 teaspoon sugar

- ¼ cup very finely diced white or red onion

- Pinch red chili flakes

- ½ teaspoon kosher salt

- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil


Scallops:

- 4 to 6 thin slices prosciutto

- Toothpicks

- 12 jumbo sea scallops, preferably fresh, dry pack (see Chef's Note)

- Salt and pepper

- Clarified butter or olive oil

1. To make the relish: Mix relish ingredients well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance.

2. To prepare the scallops: Cut each slice of prosciutto lengthwise into 2 or 3 strips. Wrap a strip of prosciutto around each scallop, covering the curved surface. Secure with a toothpick. Scallops can be prepared to this point up to 8 hours in advance, then covered and refrigerated. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

3. To finish the dish: Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Set a roasting rack in a baking sheet, and set aside within reach of the range. With paper towels, blot flat surfaces of scallops dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Heat a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan over high heat until very hot. Coat the pan with a little clarified butter or olive oil and heat until very hot but not smoking. Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding pan, and adding additional clarified butter or oil as needed, sear the scallops for 1 minute on each side. As scallops are seared, transfer to roasting rack. Roast scallops in preheated oven for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on size of scallops and doneness preferred. Be careful not to overcook.

5. When scallops are done, arrange on serving plates and divide relish evenly among the servings.

Chef's Note: We used U-10-sized scallops — this means there are fewer than 10 per pound. If you can't find jumbo scallops, use 4 to 5 scallops per person that are sized 10-20.