Leeks with Pancetta (Bacon), Scallops, and Pasta

I bought some leeks this week.  I'm not really sure why.  I was making something with bok choy and I was amazed that my local Wally World had it.  Then I saw the leeks and I was amazed at those too so I figured I'd take them home before I never saw them again and find something to do with them.  Josh and I made some recipe with salmon and leeks for his family one time and I loved them.  They have a very sweet, mild onion flavor and although green, they don't have that really green vegetable taste.  I also put onions in everything so we should have been friends long ago.  I had a craving for seafood and remembered I had scallops in the freezer (I should use fresh ones but try finding any fresh seafood in East Texas...not gonna happen).  I started with a Pioneer Woman recipe but then decided that I'd actually try and stay with my healthy food goals and omitted the cream, some butter, and use turkey bacon instead of pancetta.  Giada de Laurentiis would hate me for not using real pan-chay-ta but her skinny ass can tolerate the calories somehow.  Mine can't.  I'm just trying to help.

4 servings: 
2 tsp olive oil
about 8 slices of turkey bacon
2 leeks, quartered and diced
1/2 c white wine
2 c cooked pasta

In another pan:
1 tbs margarine
16oz scallops
salt and pepper

Slice the dark green parts off the leeks.  They aren't good for anything.  Cut the stalks into quarters and then cut them into small slices.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet (I like my cast iron one).  Chop the bacon into 1/2" x 1/2" pieces and throw it in the pan.  Stir every so often to separate the pieces and get them evenly heated.
While the bacon is cooking, boil some salted water in a saucepan and cook the pasta until just al dente.  I used elbow macaroni because it's all I had.  Bowtie or fusilli would be much prettier. 
When the bacon starts to get crispy after about 7 minutes, add the leeks and stir to coat them in oil and bacon juices.  After another 5 minutes, add the wine and pasta and reduce the heat to medium low.  Let that simmer for about 10 minutes until the wine has reduced a bit and all the flavors have gotten to know each other.  Add a couple pinches of salt and a few cranks of pepper.  Keep tasting it and add salt if necessary.  The leeks are done when the darker green parts are nice and tender (You can reduce the heat to low and keep everything warm for awhile if you're not done making the other parts).

When the leeks are just about done, salt and pepper the scallops.  Heat a second skillet on high and when it's good and hot, add the butter and smear it around.  Add the scallops and let sear on one side for about a minute or until they have a nice brown crust.  Turn them over and cook until the second side has a crust too and the center is just barely opaque.  The frozen scallops I used shrunk by about half because of all the water they contained.  I had to keep sopping liquid out of the pan to keep them searing and not boiling.  Get fresh scallops if you can!
Transfer the scallops to a plate and pile some bacon leek pasta around them.

Shave some fresh romano cheese over the top of the leeks and enjoy.  The cheese adds the last layer of nutty saltiness to the dish.  I kept thinking it was missing something until I added the cheese.

It was so perfect.  All the flavors just got along and played so well together. 

I'm glad there was some left over.  Lunch tomorrow!

Leek Bacon Pasta with Romano Cheese (minus scallops) per serving:
530 calories, 9.5g fat, 900mg sodium, 14g fiber, 20g protein