Salmon Chowder

Here in DC, the weather is starting to get a little cooler, and a lot rainier as we gear up for Hurricane Joaquin.  This combo makes me turn to filling comfort foods, and when we had a lot of leftover salmon from a previous meal, I knew I wanted chowder.

This particular recipe isn't overly heavy - I don't use flour to thicken, and I didn't use any heavy cream (you could, but I had plenty of good whole milk on hand already and saw no reason send anyone off to the store in the rain).  I also used my own homemade broth, and the veggies were what we had available. The result is flavorful, simple to prepare, and sustaining.  And it made lots of leftovers for lunch today, too, which made our salmon purchase very frugal.

Salmon Chowder
serves 6-8

2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1-2 tablespoons butter
24 oz. chicken broth
2-3 cups cooked salmon, flaked (or however much you have)
2-3 potatoes, diced
1 cup whole milk or cream
16 oz creamed corn (optional)
1 teaspoon dill
salt & pepper to taste

In a soup pot, melt butter, then add carrots, celery, onion and garlic, and saute over moderate heat until onions are softened and clear.

Add dill, salt and pepper, broth and potatoes, bring to boil, then lower heat and let simmer about a half hour, until potatoes and carrots are soft.

Add milk and creamed corn, and heat gently for another 15-20 minutes. Taste and correct seasonings as needed.

That's it! Dish up, serve with crackers or bread if desired, and enjoy!