Luke's salmon and sweetcorn chowder (Soups)

Member Name: edinburgher

Product:	Soups
Date:	25/02/09 (178 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Hearty and healthy winter fare

Disadvantages: Not suited to vegetarians as is, but could be adapted

This filling chowder is lovely and creamy, with a taste of the sea and lots of fresh vegetables to warm you up on a cold evening. It's also fairly healthy at ~200 calories a portion and doesn't have too much fat in it. The recipe will serve four as a starter, or two as a generous main meal. As such, even with the inclusion of butter and a little cream, this could be eaten as a 'diet' recipe, as 400 calories for a main meal is very light!

Not suited to vegetarians and coeliacs should be aware that the chowder features flour (albeit a small amount).

*Cost and timing*

This recipe uses quite a few ingredients that are commonly found in the fridge/store cupboard. It shouldn't cost more than £3 or so and can be ready from cupboard to table in about 45 minutes - some of us prep vegetables quicker than others!

*Ingredients*

½ Onion (finely diced)
½ Carrot (diced)
½ Large celery stick (diced)
1 Small white potato (diced, skin can be left on if desired)
4 Tbsp Sweetcorn
2 Garlic cloves (crushed with a garlic press or the flat of a knife)
1 Salmon fillet (cut into roughly 1"*0.5" slices)
2 Rashers unsmoked back bacon (diced)
25g Butter (Salted is fine)
1 Tbsp plain flour (heaped)
300 ml Milk (semi-skimmed)
25 ml/slug Single cream (just enough for the flavour)
100 ml fish stock (use a single stock cube in 100 ml of just-boiled water)
Black pepper
Flat parsley (dried is fine and considerably cheaper for most people)
Paprika

*Instructions*

1. Prepare your ingredients as per the ingredients list
2. Using a pot large enough for all ingredients, melt the butter over a low-medium heat.
3. Add all the vegetables bar the potato and sweetcorn and the bacon, sweating for 3-5 minutes. Make sure to turn frequently.
4. Add seasoning, being generous (although add less paprika than the others, it's only there for some extra colour).
5. Add the flour and mix until it has been absorbed/stuck to the vegetables.
6. Add your potatoes.
7. Add the milk quickly and bring up to a medium heat, allowing the potatoes to cook for roughly 10 minutes (test for softness with a knife). You should aim to have the milk near the boil, but don't let it boil yet.
8. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare your fish stock.
9. Bring the vegetables to the boil and start adding the fish stock, making sure it's thoroughly mixed in.
10. Turn off the heat under the pot and remove from the hob for a minute or two if you're using an electric cooker and it needs to cool slightly.
11. Add the salmon chunks, sweetcorn and some more seasoning if desired.
12. Leave the salmon to poach gently for 5-6 minutes, turning carefully (whole chunks are nicer than smaller ones). Don't worry that the heat is off. The pot and hob will retain more than enough heat to cook this delicate fish.
13. Serve in small, deep bowls - with some parsley to garnish if desired.

© Edinburgher/Luke Fojut at www.dooyoo.co.uk

Summary: A cheap and delicious salmon chowder (even if I do say so myself!)