1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Minced fresh chives
Begin by melting the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add
the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, lowering the
heat a little, until the onions soften. Take your time here (about 10
minutes or so); this is where the onions develop flavor. Just don’t
let them brown.
Add the potatoes to the onions, season, and cook, again,
slowly, for 5 more minutes.
Add the scallops, season again, stir, and add enough cream until
everything is covered. Bring to a simmer and cook*, slowly, until
the liquid reduces substantially, approximately 45 minutes.
Add the Pernod—which gives everything a lovely anise flavor
—and the thyme and cook a few minutes longer.
Remove from the heat and either serve right away, with chives
sprinkled on top, or allow the chowder to come to room
temperature and refrigerate overnight*. The flavors will develop if
you allow for this extra step, but once you taste the chowder, you
won’t be able to wait. Keeps for 3 to 4 days, covered, in the
refrigerator.
* Feel the scallops as you cut them up; sometimes there’s a hard
bit (“the boot”) still attached that you should remove.* Cut the potatoes and scallops into similar-size pieces.