Good Salmon Chowder makes you hear the ocean's roar

In my earliest days, my parents read to me from – among other sources – the poetic works of John Ciardi. This particular rhyme was one of my favorites, and, to this day, gets recited each time we serve chowder for supper.

Not long ago, I learned it had been put to music, so, this week, when I made my chowder, this was on my playlist. But we still had to chant the poem, sans melody, at the table.

Different moments, different rituals.

Over the years, I'd come to the conclusion that different fish flavors deserve different treatments in the stew pot, as well. A straight, sweet chowder is fine for white fish like cod, flounder, etc, but…well… I often have a surplus of salmon in my freezer, and salmon likes a little extra bite. Hence, a little smokiness and some cream cheese. If I thought capers and toasted bagels would fit into the bowl, I'd probably throw those in, as well, but a girl has to show some restraint, I guess. Sigh.

Enjoy.

Salmon Chowder

Ingredients:

3/4 lb skinless salmon fillets
3 oz pouch smoked salmon

1/4 lb bacon

1 small onion, minced

4-6 cups water, to cover potatoes

1 cup sweet corn (fresh from the cob or frozen is best) 

2-3 ribs celery (leaves included), diced

2 medium potatoes, cut into 2 cm cubes

3-4 medium carrots, cut into 1 cm cubes
1 small red bell pepper, minced and divided

8 oz cream cheese or Neufchatel

3 cups milk 

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut bacon into 1/2 cm-wide bits, cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Set aside, reserving fat.

Clear bacon solids from pan & strain them from liquid fat. Return 1 tablespoon fat to pan, and, over low heat, cook minced onion until clear and beginning to turn golden. Remove from heat.

In a 1-gallon (or larger) stock pot, place water, 3 oz smoked salmon, corn, celery, potatoes, carrots, 1/2 of the bell pepper, and the cooked onions. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender if poked with a fork (about 15-20 minutes, usually).

Add in remaining salmon, return to simmer and allow the fish to cook thoroughly (about 5 minutes, if using fresh fish, 10 minutes if frozen). Break up fillets into bite-sized chunks.

While fish is simmering in the pot, cut cream cheese into 1-inch chunks, place a microwave-safe bowl, and, in 30-second bursts, cook until softened. Add in milk, cook in microwave another minute, whisk briskly until smooth. Stir into the stock.

Add seasoning. Allow to simmer about 5 minutes.

Garnish with crumbled bacon and remaining bell pepper.

Serve with muffins or cornbread.

Serves 6-8.

 

 

 

Salmon Jammin' Evening: A Summery Seafood Salad

A nice fresh fish salad with refrigerator pickles…just right on a hot summer day.

It's hot. It's not quite summer by the calendar, and the air outside has reached 92° F (33°C), with a high dew point (and, yes, you Texans and Floridians, etc. can scoff if you will). Our house does not have central air conditioning. This means, nobody wants to spend a second longer than necessary over a hot stove...or even a hot grill.

Since my local weather experts have been fairly reliable in their forecasts, though, I was able to prepare for this eventuality.

Our Friday Night Plates (our regular get-together with our extended, volunteer family) got chillin'. The Bat brewed up and then refrigerated some peppermint tea in advance of the evening, and I prepped a batch of gluten-free key lime tarts (more on that, maybe, in another post), a bowl of fruit compote (I cheat. Canned fruits are very useful when you're between seasons), and, most importantly, a nice big bowl of salmon salad.

In searching the web for ideas, I noticed that the most popular salmon salads are leafy greens piled with hot, freshly grilled fish and a few other must-slave-in-the-heat items. This would not do for me. I was looking for something kind of chill-out-y and picnic-y. 

What I offered the family was easily prepared in advance, can be made with canned, pouched, smoked, steamed, or even grilled salmon, and is relatively low in carbs. 

And it tastes only moderately decadent.

Salad. We like it like that.

Chilled Salmon Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:
1 lb fresh or frozen boneless, skinless salmon filets, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1/2- to 3/4 cup diced celery
3 ounces capers, rinsed and drained

Dressing:
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3  cup lemon or lime juice (or more to taste)

Directions:

At least 3 hours before serving, steam salmon chunks (or bake in a nonstick covered dish at low heat -- about 300-325° F) until just opaque and easily flaked with a fork. It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes, either way.

When the salmon is cooked, place in covered dish in refrigerator until completely chilled.

Cut celery into small cubes, rinse and drain capers, setting aside a dozen or so for garnish. Lightly mix the rest into the cold salmon.

For the dressing: in a small mixer bowl, whip softened cream cheese until fluffy, gradually add in olive oil and mix thoroughly. Finally, mix in lemon or lime juice until the dressing has the consistency of mayonnaise. If you want, you can add a little more juice to boost the flavor, but don't get carried away.

Gently stir the dressing into the salmon mixture.

Serve chilled on your favorite bread or a bed of tender leaf lettuce. Garnish with sliced cucumbers or fresh pickles.

Serves 6

Salmon with Curried Creamed Spinach

I'm a new devotee of spinach. Like most kids, I hated the stuff when I was growing up, and it took quite a long while for me to acquire a taste for it as I reached adulthood. Even then, in the early years, I'd only eat it raw, as a salad or greens on a sandwich.

Somehow, though, about the time I hit middle age (that vague time frame when a person's metabolism shifts to put on the brakes, but too often fails to tell the appetite), I realized I should be eating more of it, even when the fresh stuff is not so pretty (ah, the memories of dread!). Thus, I have learned to enjoy the frozen stock, and creamed, curried is my favorite way to consume it. I've made it with a little more chicken broth, so I could have a nice sauce to serve it over rice, but for my parents, who are still not the biggest fans of spinach or curries, I've helped it by serving it with a tasty slab of salmon… The Bat can't resist a good bit of that pink fishy goodness.

So this is for The Bat.

Popeye would be proud…

Salmon with Curried Creamed Spinach

Ingredients:

2 10-ounce packages of frozen spinach, thawed, and some of the liquid gently pressed out

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small sweet onion, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon butter, melted

salt and pepper to taste

2 lbs fresh (or frozen, thawed) salmon sides or filets, skin removed

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375º F.

(If you are cooking with raw spinach or raw mixed greens, you will want to stem & coarsely chop, then, in a large frying pan on high heat, quickly wilt the greens, then allow them to cool in a strainer, lightly pressing excess liquids out, before starting the rest of the stages).

In a large, oven-safe frying pan over medium-low heat, cook onions in oil until transparent. Add curry powder, chicken broth, and garlic, and stir until evenly distributed and curry powder is dissolved. Stir in heavy cream. Allow to simmer over low heat about 10 minutes, until it becomes very fragrant. Remove from heat. 

Combine lemon juice and melted butter.

Place salmon filets on top of the spinach mixture. Pour lemon-butter over the top of fish, allowing to drizzle onto the spinach. Lay slices of lemon over the top, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake in middle of oven about 30 minutes (as soon as the spinach has been boiling and the fish turns opaque). Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 5 minutes before serving.