Scallop Chowder

Scallop Chowder with Proscuitto

Chowder season is here! I love braises, stews, and chowders in the fall. Here is a chowder I made several months ago. It sort of took on a life of its own after awhile and was a great way to use leftover stuff. This is a no-flour chowder. It is soupier than other cream based chowders.


Scallop Chowder (serves 4)


You will need:

1 sweet potato cubed
1 baking potato cubed
1 leek (rinsed very very well) sliced
2 carrots chopped
1/2 cup of wine
2 cups of veggie stock
2 cups of clam juice (Cento is a good brand for this)
3 slices of bacon chopped
1 pound of bay scallops
1/2 cup of heavy cream
Salt/pepper
Proscuitto for garnish (this is optional. I just needed to use it before it went bad)
Chives or parsley for garnish would have been wonderful

So this requires two pots. The original recipe from Epicurious required three pots. That is ridiculous. I modified it and used two pots.

Do this recipe on medium heat:

1) Chop your bacon and saute it in a heavy bottomed dutch oven. Remove when cooked
2) While bacon is cooking, clean your leek. Cut the big green part off and the bottom off. Cut length wise and rinse with cold water. Make sure to rinse all of the sand that gets in there. Pull apart the layers and wash them out.
3) Chop your leek and carrot and saute in bacon fat. Add some EVOO if necessary. Salt and pepper every layer!
4) While the leek and carrot saute, peel and chop your potatoes
5) Deglaze the leek and carrot with wine. Let evaporate
6) Add in your potatoes. Begin to cook the potatoes
7) Add you clam juice and veggie stock. You will want to cook until potatoes are tender. The soup should be brought to a boil at this point and then turned down. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.
8) In the mean time, salt and pepper your scallops. Make sure they are dry so that they sear. Cook them on your griddle or in a big skillet with some EVOO. They are small and don't require that much cooking. You will add them in the soup later at the end.
9) When scallops are cooked and the potatoes are cooked, turn up the heat and let the soup thicken slightly
10) Turn down the heat and add the cream. At this point, get out your immersion blender and give it a good blend. This how I was able to make it semi thick without flour. Blend well.
11) Add in your scallops. Turn heat back on low and cook for 1-2 minutes.
12) You are done...

Serve this with a salad or bread if you eat bread. Garnish with leftover bacon (I added proscuitto AND bacon to mine). Taste for proper seasoning. Garnish with parsley or chive if you have that.

Enjoy!