Bay Scallop Corn Chowder

As the summer wains I get a taste for corn chowder and often make it with some type of shell fish. Today I'm using bay scallops but I most often make it with lobster or crab. This is a rich and delicious meal and really stands on its own or paired with a nice salad. 

Julian's Bay Scallop Corn Chowder

It is a somewhat time-consuming preparation so I often make it in advance as noted in the recipe and then just finish by warming and adding the corn, scallops and slurry thickener closer to dinner time. 

Bay Scallops Thawed in Refrigerator

Bay scallops are the smaller than sea scallops but taste very much the same. They freeze well and so I often purchase them flash frozen. They only take 4-6 hours to thaw in the refrigerator and can also be thawed more quickly in cold water. 

Ingredients (serves 6)
4 ears corn, kernels cut from the cob (reserve cobs)
16 ounces (2 cups) clam juice
1/3 pound thick cut bacon, chopped
1 cup sliced leeks (whites only), well rinsed
1 rib celery, diced
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 white or golden potatoes, peeled and diced to bay scallop size
1/8 tsp ground white pepper
3 cups low-fat milk (2% or skim)

1 pound (about 2 cups) bay scallops
2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Chopped chives or parsley for garnish

Instructions
Add the clam juice and corn cobs to a large heavy pot or Dutch Oven placed over medium-high heat and bring to a low boil (simmer). Cook covered turning the cobs occasionally for 15-20 minutes. Transfer cobs and liquid to a bowl and reserve. Wipe out the pot. Return the pot to the cooktop over medium-high heat and brown the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot to a separate bowl and reserve. Transfer hot oil to a heat proof bowl. Wipe out the pot again to remove the crumbs from the bacon.  

With the pot over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of bacon fat and cook leeks and celery 10 minutes stirring regularly. Stir in garlic. Add the potatoes, cayenne pepper, low-fat milk and and the clam liquid and cobs. Nestle the cobs down into the liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook 5-10 minutes until potatoes are just starting to get tender. (You can make ahead and refrigerate to this point if you prefer, gently warming before moving to the last step.)

Reduce heat to medium and add corn kernels and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the scallops and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk together half-and-half and flour to form a smooth slurry and add to pot. Increase temperature to medium-high and cook stirring regularly until mixture is slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed. Transfer to serving bowls and add cooked bacon bits and herbs to garnish. Serve.