Salmon Chowder with Fresh Corn and Bacon
This very American fish chowder has a rich flavor without a cream base. The small amount of cream that is added at the end is there to "finish" the soup, to enrich and smooth it. This chowder is not about cream; it's about fresh salmon, corn and potatoes, and bacon. Serve it as a warming main dish, in bowls or in cups, followed by a crisp, clean-tasting salad. The flavors are fullest if you serve right after adding the cream.
Ingredients
- 1 fillet of salmon 1 ½ pounds
- ½ yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 large red potatoes about 12 ounces
- 3 ears of fresh corn
- 1 slice of bacon
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 cups clam juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Run your fingers over the salmon to make sure there are no bones. If you feel a hard point, push down with two fingers to expose the tip of the bone and pull it out with a pair of tweezers. Turn the salmon flesh side down and with a sharp paring knife, separate the skin from the flesh (the salmon can be skinned by your fishmonger). Discard the skin and cut the salmon into 1-inch cubes.
- Peel, trim, and finely dice the onion. Peel, trim, and slice the garlic.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes; put the cubes in a bowl of water.
- Shuck the corn and remove the silk on the ears. Holding each ear of corn upright on a cutting board and starting from the tip, slice off the kernels, cutting as close to the cob as possible. Gather the kernels and set aside.
- In a heavy medium pot, sauté the bacon in the olive oil and butter over low heat until well done and crisp, but not burned. Remove the bacon and let cool, then crumble it.
- In the oil mixture remaining in the pot, sauté the onion over medium heat, stirring, until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté it, taking care that it does not brown. Add the clam juice and bring to a boil. Drain the potatoes, add them to the soup, and cook it over low heat until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.
- Add the corn and salmon to the pot and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the crumbled bacon and fresh pepper, and stir in the cream. Turn off the heat.
- Before serving, stir the soup vigorously. It is best served right after you make it.