Scallop Corn Chowder with Caramelized Onions
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Seafood, Soup
- Cuisine: Dinner
Description
Seafood Saturday! I don’t know if that’s an actual thing, but it sure as heck is in our household. Every Saturday is dedicated to seafood. And this week, honoring the closing of summer, it seemed right to make a corn chowder. The end of summer corn is so good!
I had actually wanted to make this with bay scallops but had no idea that bay scallops are actually a seasonal thing. So, come back in November because I’ll have to make a new soup using them!
I love sea scallops, so I wasn’t hugely disappointed that I couldn’t get bay scallops. Bay scallops are sweeter than sea scallops. But, FUN FACT, female sea scallops are sweeter than their male counterparts. So, if you’re wanting to get a sweeter taste component, ask for female scallops… how can you tell the difference? They’re pinkish in color!
This dish uses a ton of onions. I know most corn chowders call for celery and potatoes, but I didn’t want to take away from the meatiness of the scallops. Just corn and onions!
Caramelized onions take FOREVER to cook. However, a lot of the “prep” can be done while the onions are cooking! Cook the bacon, reserving part of the fat to cook the scallops in and part of the fat to cook the onions in. Once you throw the onions on, finish prepping the rest of the ingredients! Just make sure you stir occasionally. Usually after 5 to 7 minutes, onions start to sweat. At this point, turning up the heat helps cook off that water, allowing the onions to start to brown and caramelize.
Now, most people make a roux by melting butter in the pan and adding flour. However, there are just SO MANY onions that it makes a roux a bit more difficult to make in the pan. The solution is taking room temperature butter and mixing it thoroughly with the flour to create a paste.
Once you add the wine, clam juice, and chicken broth, add in this flour paste and stir until it blends in. (This is also a really handy trick when you’re trying to thicken a sauce that is too liquidy).
The Worcestershire sauce and cayenne gives the broth a nice smokiness that sits nicely next to the sweetness of the corn. The scallops cook up super quickly. You can cut them up before putting them in your soup bowls or just top your soup with them! I haven’t had a soup this good in… I don’t know how long. It just hits all of the right spots!
Enjoy!
Ingredients
16 to 20 sea scallops (4 to 5 per person), patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper
8 thick bacon slices
4 large sweet onions, sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 TB fresh thyme, leaves removed
1 TB fresh sage, chopped
5 ears of corn, kernels cut off
1 cup white wine
2 cups clam juice
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne
3 TB butter, room temperature
1/4 cup flour
Chives, diced, for garnish
Instructions
Add the bacon to a medium sized pot. Turn heat on to medium. This may need to be done in two batches. Cook until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon and place on paper towels to drain. Drain off 2 tablespoons of bacon fat into a small bowl and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat within the pot, draining any additional fat, as required. Wipe off any burnt speckles in the pot with a paper towel.
Add the onions to the pot, stirring occasionally. When the onions start to sweat (about 5 minutes), turn the heat up to medium high. Stir frequently until the onions are caramelized and a deep golden brown, about another 20 to 30 minutes. Reduce the heat back to medium. Add the garlic, thyme, and sage, cooking for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
Add in the wine, clam juice, and chicken broth. Stir to combine.
In a small bowl, combine the butter and flour until well combined and it forms a paste. Add to the pot and stir until absorbed. Add the Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Coarsely chop the bacon and add to the pot.
Add the corn to the pot. Turn the heat to medium high until the soup boils. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Cook the scallops. In a separate pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of bacon fat over medium high heat. When hot, add the scallops face down and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, turn the scallops over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, depending on how cooked you like your scallops. Remove from the heat.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with chives and scallops.
Keywords: Scallop Corn Chowder, Corn Chowder, Late Summer Corn, Caramelized Onions, Scallops
