California Avocado-Seafood Chowder

Description
Is your soup menu a snooze? Consider this distinctive seafood chowder where California avocados act as a rich and colorful wake-up call.

Ingredients

 * 18 mussels (about ½ pound)
 * ¼ cup dry white wine or water
 * 1 onion, chopped
 * 1 tbsp unsalted butter
 * 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
 * 2 cloves garlic, chopped
 * 1 pound purple or red-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut in ¼-inch dice
 * 1½ cups water
 * 1¾ cups milk
 * ¼ cup heavy cream or additional milk
 * 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
 * 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
 * 2 California avocados, about 8 ounces each, cut in ¼-inch dice
 * 1 pound scallops, cleaned, sliced in ¼-inch medallions
 * 3 tbsp chopped, fresh cilantro
 * 6 cilantro sprigs for garnish

Directions

 * 1) Thoroughly scrub, then rinse mussels, until clean.
 * 2) Discard any that remain open after handling.
 * 3) Steam mussels, covered, in wine until just open, about 4 minutes.
 * 4) Remove mussels with a slotted spoon, reserving liquid; discard any that do not open.
 * 5) Reserve in shell (unless serving chowder immediately, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Return to room temperature before serving the chowder)
 * 6) Strain mussel liquid through an extra-fine sieve to remove grit; reserve.
 * 7) Sauté onion in butter until soft, about 5 minutes.
 * 8) Stir in cumin and garlic.
 * 9) Cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
 * 10) Stir in reserved mussel liquid and potatoes.
 * 11) Add water.
 * 12) Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer.
 * 13) Cook, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, about 5 minutes.
 * 14) Stir in milk, cream, corn, and tomato; bring to a simmer (do not boil or liquid could separate).
 * 15) Cook, covered, about 5 minutes.
 * 16) Stir in avocado and scallops; cover.
 * 17) Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 4 minutes.
 * 18) Stir in chopped cilantro (if you are not serving immediately, pour into an airtight container; store in the refrigerator).
 * 19) To serve, gently heat chowder in a covered pot.
 * 20) Divide chowder among 6 warmed, shallow soup plates.
 * 21) Stick 3 reserved mussels in their shell into the hot liquid of each serving.
 * 22) Garnish each with a cilantro sprig.