Smoked Salmon Chowder
from the kitchen of Sharmagne Leland-St. John

12 ounces fingerling potatoes,
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 cups water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups half-and-half
¼ cup drained capers, rinsed
1 pound fresh wild caught smoked salmon
Salt to taste
8 ounces whipped cream cheese
Sourdough bread


Scrub the potatoes and steam them until they are
barely tender. Remove steamer from pot and set
aside until cool enough to handle, then dice them.

While waiting for the potatoes to cool, heat 2
tablespoons of the butter in a large soup kettle
over medium heat.

Add the onions and celery which you have diced
into small bits and cook for 5 minutes or until
they are translucent. Stir in the minced garlic
and black pepper. Cook for another minute.

Add the remaining butter. When it has melted,
slowly sprinkle the flour over the mixture, a
little at a time, until it is incorporated. Cook
for 1 minute to remove the taste of the flour.

Add the tomato paste, the water and diced potatoes
to the kettle. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a
simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then.

Stir as you add the half-and-half, the capers, and
the smoked salmon.Heat the soup slowly until it is
almost simmering, then turn off the heat. Adjust
the seasoning if needed and serve hot

Prepare the bread ahead of time and broil at the last
minute.

Slice the sourdough bread in half, slather the cream
cheese onto the cut sides and place it under the broiler
for a minute of two. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.


 


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