Corn Chowder With Bacon And Scallops

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 6 ounces thickly sliced bacon, coarsely chopped
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 3 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 lb red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons minced chives, plus more for garnish
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• tabasco sauce (to taste)
• 1/2 lb medium sea scallops

Recipe

• 1 in a large saucepan, cook the bacon over moderately low heat until crisp, 10 minutes. transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.
• 2 pour off 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and reserve. add the onion and celery to the pan. cook over low heat until softened, 12 minutes.
• 3 meanwhile, in a food processor, puree 1 cup of the corn with 1 cup of the milk.
• 4 add the corn puree to the saucepan along with the remaining 2 cups each of corn and milk and the potatoes.
• 5 simmer over low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
• 6 stir in the cream, chives and the reserved bacon. season with salt, pepper and tabasco and keep warm.
• 7 in a large skillet, heat the reserved 2 tablespoons of bacon fat until shimmering.
• 8 add the scallops, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.
• 9 ladle the soup into bowls; top with the scallops and chives and serve.