Smoked Salmon Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 strips smoked bacon, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, minced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced (or about 7 baby carrots)
- 1 medium celery rib, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 cups 1% or higher fat milk
- 12 ounces frozen sweet corn kernels
- 1 cup diced smoked salmon, about 6 ounces
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon tabasco sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until it renders its fat and starts to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, garlic and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the corn kernels and smoked salmon. Heat through for about 5 minutes. Season with salt, Tabasco, pepper, lemon juice and dill. Taste a bit of the soup and add more salt and fresh dill as needed.
- Serve immediately. The soup can also be cooled to room temperature and then refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat slowly on the stove, stirring often. Add more milk gradually if the soup is too thick.
Notes
Smoked Salmon: I found the smoked salmon next to the meat counter at one of the grocery stores in my area (Woodman's) in small 6-8 ounce packages. They were next to some other smoked and cured meats. If you can't find the smoked salmon, ask the employees at the meat counter for help locating it.