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Friday, December 6, 2013

Scallop and Pancetta Winter Chowder

Ok, so I can't take all the credit for this amazing creation. It was heavily inspired by a chowder that I LOVE to get at Chelsea Market in NYC at the Lobster Place that has scallops and bacon in it. Seeing as I'm a 6 1/2 hour flight from there, I had to experiment with making my own version and not to toot my own horn but...I think I nailed it!

I used my slow cooker for this but you can definitely use a large pot with a lid on the stove on medium and just cut the cooking time in half. Just be sure to turn it to low and keep stirring once the cream is added to avoid burning in the bottom. It didn't burn at all in my slow cooker and I only stirred once every 10-15 minutes.


Ingredients

6 c. chicken broth
3oz pancetta 
1 onion chopped
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 c. potato chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
1/2 c. carrots chopped
1 Tbs. Old Bay spice
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 bay leaves
1 Tsp. dried thyme
1 c. heavy cream
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 Lb bay scallops cleaned
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
toasted sourdough bread to serve


First, turn your slow cooker on high and add the chicken stock, potato, carrot, and celery to it. Then cook the pancetta in a large skillet for about 3 minutes on high then add the onion, garlic and red bell pepper and cook till lightly caramelized. Pour mixture into the slow cooker and stir in the Old Bay, bay leaves, chili powder, and thyme. Let slow cook for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Now, add the frozen corn and bay scallops and give a good stir. Once all looks well mixed, stir in the cream slowly. Cover and let slow cook for another hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Check flavor and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a dusting of Old Bay spice and a slice of toasted sourdough. Eat up!