Maine Seafood Chowder

from ButterYum

makes 12 servings

Ingredients

    • 4 ounces bacon, cut into bite-size piece

    • 4 cups sliced leeks, rinsed well

    • 1.5 pounds red bliss potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice

    • 8 cups shrimp stock (here’s my recipe)

    • 4 tablespoons butter

    • 2 cups heavy cream

    • 2 pounds medium size shrimp (25-30 count), cooked and cut into thirds

    • 1 pound bay scallops, fresh or thawed

    • 1 tablespoon dried parsley

    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

    • kosher salt and pepper to taste

    • 1-2 tablespoons dry sherry (optional)

Directions

    1. Cook shrimp until just barely done (directions here).

    2. When the shrimp are cool enough to handle, peel if necessary and cut into thirds; set aside. (freeze shrimp shells/tails to make shrimp stock at a later time)

    3. In a large dutch oven or braiser (I use one like this), sauté the bacon until it starts to render some of its fat, then add the leeks and potatoes to the bacon and continue sautéing for about 5 minutes.

    4. Add the shrimp stock and bring to a boil; cook until the potatoes are tender, then turn off the heat.

    5. In a large skillet, cook the bay scallops in butter just until they’re barely cooked through.

    6. Add the cream and reserved shrimp to the skillet, along with any juices that collected in the baking pan.

    7. Add the parsley and cayenne pepper and heat just until the cream starts to bubble around the edges of the pan.

    8. Skim the shrimp and bay scallops from the cream; set aside.

    9. Allow the cream to bubble away until it reduces a bit and thickens.

    10. Pour the reduced cream into the shrimp stock and add the reserved shrimp and scallops; stir well and serve.