Hearty Scallop Chowder Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S BAY SCALLOP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until fat renders and bacon is slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion to bacon; cook and stir until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir celery and garlic into onion mixture, cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
• Pour clam juice, chicken broth, potato, cayenne pepper, and black pepper into bacon mixture; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and cook until potatoes are almost tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir cream and chile pepper into potato mixture; bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are completely tender and chowder flavors combine, about 5 minutes. Season with lemon zest and salt.
• Stir scallops into chowder and cook over medium heat until scallops are tender and white, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in tarragon.

NANTUCKET SCALLOP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Sauté bacon in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels and drain well. Drain all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat from saucepan. Add onions and thyme to same saucepan and sauté over medium-high heat until onions are light golden, about 10 minutes. Add 4 cups clam juice, 1/2 cup white wine and potatoes. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add cream and half of bacon and bring to simmer. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add half of scallops and sauté until light golden, about 2 minutes. Add scallops to chowder. Repeat with remaining butter and scallops. Season chowder to taste with salt and pepper.
• Ladle chowder into bowls. Sprinkle with paprika and remaining bacon and serve immediately.

CREAMY SCALLOP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Wash and drain scallops. If scallops are large, cut in half. In a small stock pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Saute onions and mushrooms until tender.
• Stir in flour. Pour in milk and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add wine, scallops, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Serve topped with Swiss cheese and parsley.

SCALLOP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Wash leeks well in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well. Cook half of leeks in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 10 minutes.
• While leeks are cooking, peel potato and cut into 1/3-inch dice. Add wine, thyme sprig, and white pepper to leeks and boil until most of liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup potato (reserve remaining diced potato in a bowl of cold water), 1/2 cup scallops, and clam juice, then simmer, uncovered, until potato is tender, about 15 minutes.
• Drain remaining potatoes in a colander and cook with carrot, celery, and remaining leeks in a 1-quart saucepan of until just tender, about 5 minutes, then drain.
• Cook bacon in a skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 3 minutes, and transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Remove and discard thyme sprig and purée soup in 2 batches in a blender until very smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), then transfer to a bowl. Return soup to cleaned saucepan, then add vegetable mixture, remaining scallops, milk, and salt and cook over moderate heat (do not let boil), stirring, until scallops are just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with bacon.

BEST SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels; reserve drippings. Saute onions in drippings until tender. Add potatoes and water; bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes., Add the scallops, lobster, shrimp, cod and haddock. Cook for 10 minutes or until scallops are opaque, shrimp turn pink and fish flakes easily with a fork. Add the butter, salt, parsley and curry powder. Stir in milk and evaporated milk; heat through. Garnish with bacon, additional parsley, and oyster crackers, if desired.