Chilly Day Good Time For Asparagus Chowder

According to the calendar, spring officially arrives around the third week in March. But where we live in New England, the weather often takes little note of the change.

While the weather may still be chilly, I am anxious to partake of spring’s more delicate bounty. As a compromise, I often infuse winter-style dishes with early spring ingredients.

A good example is the Asparagus and Scallop Chowder that I created for a recent family meal. This soup includes such robust ingredients as diced potatoes, bits of bacon, and chopped leeks all simmered in fish stock, half and half, and milk.

Along with the seafood, I added tender morsels of sliced, pencil-thin asparagus as a spring coda. The bright green hue of the asparagus added vivid visual appeal and an unexpected and delectable taste to the dish.

Asparagus and Scallop Chowder

Quick Scallop Stock:

1 pound sea scallops with connective tissue removed and discarded

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups water

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced

1 rib celery, sliced

3 parsley sprigs

1 bay leaf, broken in half

6 black peppercorns Chowder:

4 ounces very thick-cut sliced bacon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups cleaned, chopped leeks (white and light green parts only; about 2 large or 3 medium leeks)

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 tablespoon flour

2 cups Quick Scallop Stock

1-1/2 cups half and half, heated until just hot

3/4 cup 1 or 2 percent milk, heated until just hot

3/4 pound Yukon Gold or red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

3/4 teaspoon salt

Several grounds black pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Sprinkling cayenne pepper

3/4 pound very thin asparagus, tough ends cut off and discarded

1-1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley, preferably flat leaf, for garnish

For stock, cut scallops horizontally into 1/4-inch thick rounds and pat dry. Heat butter and oil until hot in heavy, medium nonreactive skillet (cast iron does not work well). Add scallops and saute, turning several times, until scallops are opaque and barely golden, about 2 minutes. Remove scallops to plate and reserve.

Add wine and water to skillet and scrape up any brown bits off skillet bottom. Add onion, carrot, celery, parsley sprigs, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring mixture to simmer and lower heat. Pour any juices from reserved scallops into skillet. Simmer stock, uncovered, 20 minutes.

Drain stock in large strainer into bowl; press down on vegetables with wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. You should have about 2 cups. Stock can be made 1 day ahead; cool, cover and refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate cooked scallops separately.

For chowder, blanch bacon in boiling water to cover 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Heat butter in a 3- to 4-quart, heavy saucepan or pot over medium heat. When hot, add bacon and saute, stirring, until crisp. Add leeks and thyme and stir and cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mixture and cook 1 minute more.

Gradually stir in stock and hot half and half and milk. Add potatoes, salt, black pepper, nutmeg and cayenne pepper and lower heat to simmer. Cook chowder, stirring often, at a simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes. Chowder can be prepared ahead to this point; cool, cover and refrigerate.

To finish chowder, cut tops from asparagus spears and cut stalks diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces. Reheat chowder, stirring constantly, over medium heat and add asparagus and cook until just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add scallops and cook 1 minute more. Taste and season if desired with extra salt, black pepper and nutmeg.

To serve, ladle chowder into 4 or 5 shallow soup bowls. Garnish each serving with chopped parsley.

Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 777 calories, 40.6 grams fat (47 percent fat calories), 46 grams protein, 55 grams carbohydrate, 121 milligrams cholesterol, 1501 milligrams sodium.