Quick & Hearty Salmon Chowder
Speed - 94%
Simplicity - 96%
Tastiness - 100%
97%
Great!
I was craving a warm and bone-sticking soup and this Quick & Hearty Salmon Chowder did the trick. Simple, delicious, and I had plenty leftover for the next day.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Unsalted Butter
- 2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 strips Bacon, diced
- 1/2 cup Onion, diced small
- 1/4 cup Carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup Celery, thinly sliced
- 3 small Yukon Potatoes, diced small
- 2-3 cups Fish Stock
- 1 pound Salmon, skinless, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Fresh Chives, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large saucepot, melt butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add bacon and cook 5 minutes or until crispy.
- Stir in onions, carrots, and celery, and let them cook and sweat out for a few minutes.
- Add the potatoes and fish stock (to cover) and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook till almost tender.
- Add salmon and simmer till the flesh is opaque.
- Stir in heavy cream, warm fully and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chives.
This chowder is a one-pot recipe that will satisfy your craving for a hearty warm bowl of soup in a relatively short amount of time. Depending on where you call home, chowder can mean a mixture of many different things, so this is a recipe you can take and master and then experiment based on your regional preferences!
The base of onion, celery, and carrot is called a ‘mirepoix' and is the foundation of many traditional stocks and sauces. I added a little bacon because I love it, and it's a nice extra savory crunch!
Fish stock called for in this recipe can be store-bought from any of your trusted specialty food stores, or you can check with your local fish market– often they make very high quality stock (also known as ‘fish fumet') in-house and will sell it freshly made and for less than in a retail chain. You could even experiment with making your own, perhaps using dried shrimp as an ingredient.
The range of fish stock that is called for here is simply a personal preference– I skew on the lower end because I like my chowders chunky with mouthfuls of veggies and fish! But use more of it if you prefer a soupier end result, or especially if you wish to experiment and add more veggies like corn or leeks.
Lastly, you can of course use fresh salmon as the recipe calls, but high quality canned salmon works well too if you are in a pinch. Just be sure to drain the oil off before adding it to the chowder, then finish cooking by just warming it through.
In a large saucepot, melt butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook 5-7 minutes or until they start to crisp up.
Stir in the onions, carrots, and celery, and let them cook and sweat out for 5 or more minutes. You want them to become translucent and soft, but not caramelize, as this will affect the final flavor and appearance of the chowder, which should be lighter and aromatic rather than dark and overly savory.
Add the potatoes and fish stock (determine the amount per your preference, but add at least to cover the potatoes) and bring it almost to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high, to a simmer. It is best to never boil fish stock as it may cause it to become cloudy, so try to keep it lower to cook the potatoes, but it isn't the end of the world if it boils for a little bit. Simmer the mixture till the potatoes are almost tender.
Add the salmon and simmer about 3 minutes or until the flesh is opaque, or if using canned salmon simmer until just warmed through. Reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the heavy cream, let the chowder warm fully and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Portion into four bowls, garnish with chives and a crack of fresh black pepper, and serve with your favorite slices of toasted sourdough bread or a gluten-free alternative.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Unsalted Butter
- 2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 strips Bacon, diced
- 1/2 cup Onion, diced small
- 1/4 cup Carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup Celery, thinly sliced
- 3 small Yukon Potatoes, diced small
- 2-3 cups Fish Stock
- 1 pound Salmon, skinless, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Fresh Chives, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large saucepot, melt butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add bacon and cook 5 minutes or until crispy.
- Stir in onions, carrots, and celery, and let them cook and sweat out for a few minutes.
- Add the potatoes and fish stock (to cover) and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook till almost tender.
- Add salmon and simmer till the flesh is opaque.
- Stir in heavy cream, warm fully and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chives.
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