Scallop Chowder

I often buy frozen scallops. When I want a fast dinner, I thaw them in the fridge overnight, rinse and drain them well, and either sear them and serve alongside steak or in a pasta dish. For this weekend, however, I was in less of a rush and wanted to change up my usual scallop routine. I had recently made my grandpa Bumbi’s fish chowder, and realized I could easily adapt it to for scallops instead of white fish.

I confess I have made a few changes to Bumbi’s fish chowder recipe beside the protein swap; I add corn and mushrooms, and top it all off with swiss cheese. I love the earthiness of the mushrooms against the sweetness of the corn. I add the swiss because I am a firm believer than almost everything can be improved with the addition of cheese; I love how the shreds begin to melt into the chowder. It is especially satisfying to dip a piece of bread into the chowder and come away with it covered in melted cheesy goodness. On a rainy Saturday, this is a great recipe to enjoy with a glass (or the rest of the bottle) of dry white wine. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound of scallops

4 tablespoons butter

1 small sweet onion, diced

4 ounces fresh sliced shiitake mushrooms

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

1/2 cup light cream

4 ears of corn, kernels sliced off

4 medium red potatoes, cut into half inch pieces

1 cup of dry white wine

1 1/2 cup chicken stock- salt free

2 teaspoons salt

freshly cracked pepper

1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 tablespoon minced chives

Method:

Wash and drain scallops. If you are using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you are using large ocean scallops, cut them n half.

In a medium stock pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Saute the onion, mushrooms, and corn kernels until tender. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute until the raw flour taste is cooked out. Slowly pour in the milk and cream while whisking to prevent flour lumps from forming. Add the wine, stock, salt, pepper and potatoes. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are easily pierced by a fork but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Add the scallops and cook a further 10 minutes until the scallops are cooked and tender. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.