Scallop Chowder

This is chowder the way they make it on the New England coast: no flour, no cream, no fancy thickeners. Just bay scallops, potatoes, onions, butter, and scalded milk simmered together until the potatoes start to break down and thicken the broth naturally.

Sautéing the scallops and onions separately in butter before they go into the pot builds a layer of caramelized flavor that straight boiling misses. The scallops pick up golden edges that add sweetness to the chowder.

Scalding the milk before adding it is an old technique that prevents curdling. Cold milk added to a hot pot can separate and give you a grainy, broken chowder. Heating it first brings it up to temperature gently so it blends smoothly.

Kitchen Tips

• Cut the scallops into halves or quarters before sautéing. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly through the chowder and give you scallop flavor in every spoonful.
• Dice the potatoes small so they partially dissolve during the 30-minute simmer. Their starch is your thickener.
• Scald the milk until tiny bubbles form around the edges. Don’t let it boil or it develops a skin and a cooked flavor.
• Season at the end, not the beginning. The scallops are naturally briny, so taste before adding salt.

Variations

• Add a strip of bacon or salt pork sautéed at the beginning for a smokier base.
• Stir in fresh corn kernels with the potatoes for a scallop-corn chowder.
• Finish with a splash of dry sherry and fresh chives for a more refined bowl.