Spinach Salad with Bacon, Scallops and Avocado

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces of black forest bacon
• 6 scallops (preferably dry, meaning not packed in preservatives) 
• 10 oz fresh spinach
• 1 ripe avocado
• A handful of cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 chopped yellow bell pepper
• A handful of chopped mushrooms
• About 2/3 cup of balsamic vinegar

Directions:

• Cook and drain bacon and chop into matchstick size slices and set aside to cool
• Leave excess bacon fat in your frying pan as you're going to use it to sear your scallops
• Let scallops sit out for a bit until they reach nearly room temperature and then season on both sides with salt and pepper, add a dash of paprika for a bright colorful sear, if you're in the mood
• On very high heat, gently place the scallops in the hot bacon fat in the pan, no more than 3 at a time. You should hear a sharp sizzle as you place down your scallops, and don't move them around the pan, we're working to sear them
• Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, they should have a golden brown sear (which comes from the sizzle you heard earlier) 
• Place the scallops on a paper towel 
• Wipe out your pan and add a generous amount of balsamic vinegar, cooking on high heat
• When the vinegar becomes slightly syrupy, remove from heat and allow to cool completely before dressing your salad (this process gives it a much sweeter, smoother taste)
• Assemble your salad with spinach, chopped bacon, chopped bell pepper, chopped mushrooms, sliced onion and cherry tomatoes.
• Toss with your cooled balsamic and a little olive oil, and assemble on plates
• Top with thick slices of fresh avocado and finally with your seared scallops.