Infusion Cuisine

At the beginning of spring, I often infuse winter-style dishes with early spring ingredients to create a transitional cuisine blending the two seasons. A good example is the asparagus and scallop chowder I created for a family meal several days ago.

This soup includes robust ingredients such as diced potatoes, bits of bacon and chopped leeks, all simmered in fish stock, half and half and milk. Along with the seafood, however, I add tender morsels of sliced pencil-thin asparagus as a spring coda. The bright green hue of this quintessential spring vegetable adds vivid visual appeal and an unexpected and delectable taste to the dish.

I have streamlined the technique for making traditional fish stock in this recipe. Instead of using fish bones for the broth, I simply saute thinly sliced scallops in a skillet, remove them and de-glaze the pan with white wine and water. I add chopped carrots, onions, celery and seasonings and simmer the stock for 20 minutes.

The chowder--light yet satisfying--makes a fine main course for a simple supper. A salad of mixed greens and peeled, sliced cucumbers in a white wine vinaigrette dressing and a basket of warm crusty French or sourdough bread make good accompaniments. Slices of purchased pound cake, topped with scoops of store-bought strawberry sorbet and sliced strawberries, are a simple idea for dessert.

ASPARAGUS AND SCALLOP CHOWDER

QUICK SCALLOP STOCK

1 pound sea scallops, connective tissue removed and discarded

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon oil

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups water

1 small onion, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

3 sprigs parsley

1 bay leaf, broken in half

6 black peppercorns

CHOWDER

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

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups chopped leeks (about 2 large), white and light green parts only

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 tablespoon flour

1 1/2 cups half and half

3/4 cup 1% or 2% milk

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

3/4 teaspoon salt

Dash freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Dash cayenne pepper

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

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley, preferably flat leaf

QUICK SCALLOP STOCK

Cut scallops horizontally into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and pat dry.

Heat butter and oil until hot in heavy, medium-size 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 any brown bits off skillet bottom. Add onion, carrot, celery, parsley, 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 through large strainer into bowl and press down on vegetables with spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Stock can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate cooked scallops separately.

CHOWDER

Blanch bacon in boiling water to cover 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Heat butter in 3- or 4-quart, heavy saucepan over medium heat. 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.

Heat half and half and milk until just hot. Gradually stir in Quick Scallop Stock and hot milk mixture. Add potatoes, salt, black pepper, nutmeg and cayenne pepper and lower heat to simmer. Simmer chowder, stirring often, until potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes. Chowder can be prepared ahead to this point. Cool, cover and refrigerate.

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, 3 to 4 minutes. Add reserved scallops and cook 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and nutmeg.

Ladle chowder into 4 or 5 shallow soup bowls. Garnish each with chopped parsley.

4 to 5 servings. Each of 5 servings:

489 calories; 731 mg sodium; 81 mg cholesterol; 28 grams fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 22 grams protein; 1.83 grams fiber.