Bay Scallop Chowder – Looks Good?

Every once in a while I make a dish that no matter how great it tastes, I just can't get past how it looks, and that was the case with this very easy, incredibly delicious scallop chowder.

The main culprit was the caramelization from the bacon and onions, which provided great flavor, but the hue they imparted, along with the pale green celery, and yellow potatoes, made things kind of dingy.

I could have browned the scallops first, and gone even further to the dark side, but scallops this small and sweet need to be eaten as soon as they're cooked, and by the time we reheated them in the soup, they'd be hard, dry, and disappointing.

Maybe it's just me. I hope that's the case here, otherwise we're going to need to brainstorm some kind of make-over, because this bowl of chowder is too good not to make. If you do make it, and want a thicker, more traditional chowder base, simply mash some of your potatoes into the mixture.

A roux can also be used to tighten things up, but since scallops are so rich, I prefer the lighter texture seen herein. So whether you figure out a way to pretty this up or not, I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions of Bay Scallop Chowder:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 slices bacon
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (8-oz) bottle clam juice
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 red Frenso chili, fine dice
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 cup cubed Yukon gold potatoes
• freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of cayenne
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 pound bay scallops
• 1 tbsp fresh tarragon