Chef John’s Bay Scallop Chowder

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup cubed Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 red Fresno chile pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Salt to taste
• 1 pound bay scallops
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

Directions

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.