Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups bottled clam juice
1 small onion, quartered
1 branch of leafy celery top, plus 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
4 parsley sprigs including stems
1 teaspoon salt
1 large bay leaf, broken in half
1 3/4 pounds sea scallops
2 tablespoons snipped chives, or green part of scallions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 tablespoons butter
Freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Combine cream, clam juice, onion, celery top, parsley, salt and bay leaf in a large saucepan and heat over medium-low heat just until bubbles form around the edges; remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes to infuse cream with the seasoning vegetables. Strain out the vegetables and discard, returning the flavored cream to the saucepan.
Add chopped celery to the cream mixture and simmer, covered, over low heat until it softens slightly, about 5 minutes.
Remove side hinges from the scallops and if scallops are large, cut them in halves or quarters. Add scallops, chives, tarragon, marjoram, and cayenne to the cream mixture. Simmer gently, uncovered, until scallops are just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add butter, stirring until it melts. Season with freshly ground pepper and additional salt to taste. Let sit at cool room temperature for at least an hour, or refrigerate overnight. Reheat the stew very gently, ladle into shallow soup bowls, and serve.
