I arranged the scallops so they were touching in the baking dish - I ordered a pound, but Rick wasn't "that hungry" today. I swear I should just order enough for me and just give him a couple :) Actually - he was so cute and proud that he ate 4. They are pretty big, and I don't mind having another 6 for lunch tomorrow :)
I chopped a fennel bulb in a 1/2" dice and sauteed it in a little butter. I crushed about 8 saltines in a bag to make crumbs, and tossed them in the pan with a knob of butter. I mixed it all together and piled it on top of the scallops. I preheated the oven to 400 degrees and baked them for 15 minutes in a hot oven.
They were sweet and delicious - quite nice with the fennel crumb and the Babich Marlborough Savignon Blanc. The wine was a little sweet for me, but I was pleasantly surprised by the fruity nose. And it did marry well with the scallops.
I figure if Rick will eat it, so will your non-seafood eating loved ones :) Enjoy!
