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Sea Bass & Scallops in Chowder

SeafoodWild fish20 minutesOmega-3

Crisp-skinned sea bass and seared scallops served on warm clam chowder. The chowder works as the sauce.

My recipe, built around what was in the fridge: black sea bass, sea scallops and a tub of clam chowder.

At a glance

Dry pan, dry fish, hot fat
10 minPrep
10 minCook
2Servings
1Skillet + 1 pot
–kcal / bowl
–Protein
–EPA + DHA
–B12

What makes it work

  • Pat everything bone-dry, then salt it
  • Press the fish skin-down so it crisps evenly
  • Don't touch the scallops for 90 seconds
  • Warm the chowder gently and never boil it
method ↓

Good to know

  • All three are on the FDA's lowest-mercury list
  • The chowder is the biggest source of sodium
  • Check the chowder label for soybean or canola oil
notes ↓

Ingredients (2 servings)

Method

  1. Prep. Pat the fish and scallops very dry with paper towels. Pull the small, tough side muscle off each scallop. Salt everything well and let it sit while the pan heats. Scallops sold as "dry" sear well. "Wet" (phosphate-soaked) scallops throw off water and won't brown. If yours puddle in the pan, dry them again and turn up the heat.
  2. Warm the chowder. Heat it gently in a small pot over medium-low and keep it below a simmer. Dairy chowders split if they boil.
  3. Sear the sea bass. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Lay the fillets skin-side down and press each one flat with a spatula for 10 seconds. Cook 3–4 minutes until the skin is crisp and releases on its own. Flip for about 1 minute. It's done when it flakes, around 140 °F. Move it to a plate skin-side up.
  4. Sear the scallops. Wipe out the pan, add the rest of the ghee and get it ripping hot. Put the scallops in and leave them for 90 seconds, until a deep golden crust forms. Flip, add the butter, and spoon it over them for 30–60 seconds. Squeeze in the half lemon.
  5. Build the bowl. Ladle 1 cup of chowder into each shallow bowl. Set the sea bass on top, skin up so it stays crisp, and add the scallops around it. Spoon the pan butter over, then finish with chives, pepper and a lemon wedge.

Nutrition per bowl

This is calculated from the same USDA data as Build a Day. Change the portion here:

Seafood
Chowder

% of the daily target for men (the same targets as Build a Day). ~ = mostly estimated. The chowder is USDA's canned New England chowder. That entry leaves out B12 and the fats, so those are filled from the milk-prepared version and scaled by protein. A deli or homemade chowder will differ, so read its label. USDA's sea bass is "mixed species," and half the ghee and butter is assumed to stay in the pan.

Nutrition notes

All three are low-mercury picks

Black sea bass, scallops and clams are all on the FDA/EPA "Best Choices" list, the lowest-mercury tier, which can be eaten two to three times a week. Black sea bass sold in the US is almost always wild-caught off the Atlantic coast. In USDA's data, a 4 oz piece of sea bass carries about 850 mg of EPA and DHA. That's more than the 500 mg daily target in one portion, and a lot for a mild white fish. Scallops add zinc and B12, and the clams in the chowder add more B12. (Strong: FDA/EPA monitoring and USDA composition data)

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The chowder is the salty, starchy part

A cup of canned New England chowder has about 840 mg of sodium, the largest single share of the bowl's roughly 1,900 mg. USDA's cooked scallops add another 570 or so. If that matters for your day, use ½ cup of chowder. The Sodium page makes the case that for most people it doesn't. It's also the one place in this meal where seed oils and fillers can hide. Store chowders are often thickened with flour or modified starch and made with soybean or canola oil. A chowder made with butter, cream and clams avoids both. Read the label before buying. (Strong: USDA data. Labels vary by brand.)

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