Manhattan Scallop Chowder

Serve this chowder with oyster crackers or warm dinner rolls and a tossed salad.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 2 large potatoes, scrubbed and diced
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato purée
• 2 cups (bottled) clam juice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ¾ cup water
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ pounds bay scallops
• Salt, to taste
• Optional: Fresh parsley, minced
• Optional: Fresh basil

1. Add the butter, celery, bell pepper, and carrot to the slow cooker; stir to coat the vegetables in the butter. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes. Stir in the onion. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
2. Stir in the potatoes, tomatoes, tomato purée, clam juice, wine, water, thyme, dried parsley, bay leaf, and pepper. Cover, reduce the temperature to low, and cook for 7 hours or until the potatoes are cooked through.
3. Cut the scallops so that they are each no larger than 1-inch pieces. Add to the slow cooker, increase the temperature to high, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until the scallops are firm. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste for seasoning and add salt or adjust other seasonings if necessary. Ladle into soup bowls. If desired, sprinkle minced fresh parsley over each serving and garnish with fresh basil.