Cajun Scallop Chowder Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S BAY SCALLOP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until fat renders and bacon is slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion to bacon; cook and stir until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir celery and garlic into onion mixture, cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
• Pour clam juice, chicken broth, potato, cayenne pepper, and black pepper into bacon mixture; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and cook until potatoes are almost tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir cream and chile pepper into potato mixture; bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are completely tender and chowder flavors combine, about 5 minutes. Season with lemon zest and salt.
• Stir scallops into chowder and cook over medium heat until scallops are tender and white, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in tarragon.

CAJUN SHRIMP CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large pot heat olive oil.
• Add peppers, celery, onion and garlic and saute until tender, around 5 minutes.
• Mix in crushed tomatoes, wine and water.
• Bring to a boil, add Old Bay Seasoning, cayenne, salt and black pepper.
• Cover and simmer for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add shrimp, cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
• Garnish with green onions.

SCALLOP AND SHRIMP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Saute onion and celery in skillet or dutch oven coated with cooking spray for about 5 minutes (or until tender).
• Add minced garlic and saute another minute.
• Add diced potato, 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoons pepper; cook another 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over potato mixture and cook another minute or two.
• Add clam juice and skim milk; bring just to a boil, stirring constantly, and then reduce heat immediately. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
• With a slotted spoon, remove at least 2 cups of potato/celery/onion mixture. Puree and add back to soup.
• Stir in remaining salt and pepper, as well as aniseseed and thyme. (Note re: anise -- it makes a big difference in flavor if you can buy whole aniseseed and grind it yourself. If not, just use bottled ground anise.) Simmer 10 minutes.
• Add scallops and shrimp; cook about 5 minutes, or until shellfish are cooked.
• Add half-and-half and cook a few more minutes, until heated thoroughly.

CAJUN SCALLOP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place the mixed vegetables in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a boil until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a pot over medium-low heat; cook and stir the onion, garlic, mushrooms, and Cajun seasoning in the melted butter until the onion is tender, but not yet browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour. Pour in the milk; cook and stir until thickened and beginning to bubble. Add the scallops, salt, and pepper; continue cooking until the scallops are opaque, 5 to 7 minutes. Fold the vegetables into the mixture and cook until the vegetables are reheated, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.