Scallops make incredibly juicy burgers despite their low fat content. I add corn to my scallop burgers for a bit of sweetness and crunch. To keep the burgers moist, don't overcook them; there should be a thin layer of barely cooked scallop at the center.
How to Make It
In a small bowl, blend the mayonnaise with the ketchup. Season with Tabasco, salt and pepper. Refrigerate.
In a medium saucepan of boiling water, cook the corn until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly. Working over the plate, cut the kernels from the cobs; you'll need 1 1/2 cups of corn kernels.
In a food processor, process 3/4 cup of the corn kernels to a paste. Add one-third of the scallops, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and process to a paste. Add the remaining scallops and process until just blended; there should be small lumps of scallop in the mixture. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl and stir in the remaining 3/4 cup of corn kernels. With oiled hands, pat the mixture into burgers, then cover and refrigerate them until ready to grill.
Light a grill. Toast the hamburger buns over a medium-hot fire, about 10 seconds. Brush the scallop burgers with vegetable oil and grill them over a medium-hot fire until they are nicely charred and barely cooked in the center, about 4 minutes per side.
Spread a thin layer of spicy mayonnaise on both halves of the buns. Place the lettuce and tomato slices on the bottom halves and top with the scallop burgers. Top each burger with 2 slices of bacon. Close the sandwiches and serve at once with the remaining spicy mayonnaise on the side.
Make Ahead: The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 and the spicy mayo and uncooked burgers refrigerated separately overnight.
Wine Recommendation: An inexpensive, ripe Chardonnay with little oak will tame the spice in the mayonnaise and complement the other salty and sweet components in this burger. Two good bottlings: the 2000 Omaka Springs Estates from New Zealand or the 2000 Salmon Harbor from Washington State.
