Oh So West Coast Salmon Chowder

A post from my days of writing at Our Big Earth!!  Don’t mind the holidays reference, but enjoy this recipe!

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The holidays have come and gone and everyone has already been back to school and work for a week. It’s also this time of year that people are in the final stages of the “turkey hangover,” also know as; hot turkey sandwich, turkey soup and stew and any other turkey flavoured meal overload, and they are ready for something completely different.

We are so lucky as Vancouver Islanders, to be surrounded by the beautiful ocean and all the goodies it provides us, so this recipe is quite fitting for all of us, West Coasters!

I created this recipe after trying to find some good dairy-free corn chowder recipes. I found a few OK-sounding recipes, but nothing that really stood out to me. I decided to go to my kitchen and I play around with different flavours until this creamy delight was born!

This recipe is a beautiful fusion of West Coast Canadian flavour and Asian richness! It has the creaminess of regular corn chowder, but with the sweetness of coconut milk and the little kick of curry. It’s great for the crock pot or to make as quick dinner (provided the salmon is pre cooked). With all of our snow fall warnings and below zero temperatures, this chowder will warm up the coldest toes and noses in town!

Oh So West Coast Salmon Corn Chowder

2 slices of bacon – diced
1/2 yellow onion – diced
2 cloves garlic – diced
1 lb. salmon filet (no bones)
1 celery stalk – diced
3 medium sized yellow potatoes – skin left on cubed 1 inch cubes
8 asparagus stems – diced
4 cups chicken, veggie or fish stock
1 can cream corn
1/2 cup whole corn kernels
1 cup coconut milk (full fat)
1/2 tsp. curry powder (or to taste)
1 tsp. dried parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Season salmon with salt and pepper and cook until just flaky, set aside.

2. Sauté bacon, onions, garlic, celery, asparagus and curry powder together in a large pot until bacon is crispy and onions are translucent.

3. Add stock and potatoes – cook until potatoes are soft.
Totally optional, but if you want your chowder a little less chunky – use potato masher and mash together ingredients in pot until desired consistency.

4. Add in creamed corn, corn kernels, coconut milk, and stir until combined.

5.  Just before serving, flake salmon into chowder, checking for bones.

6. Add in parsley, and salt and pepper and cook until salmon is warmed.

Serve steaming hot in a big bowl, with a nice glass of white wine and some great crusty bread and you have yourself a soul warming, “oh so west coast” meal, perfect for a chilly evening.

Alternative Ideas:

• Can use chicken, shrimp/prawns, smoked salmon, BBQ salmon or canned salmon.
  
• Add hot sauce for more of a kick!
  
• Serve in a sour dough bread bowl for a fun alternative!
  
• Substitute coconut milk for heavy cream for a more authentic corn chowder taste.
  
• Substitute curry powder for fresh herbs such as parsley, rosemary, thyme, basil.
  
• For a vegan version, omit bacon and salmon and add more potatoes, asparagus, corn, celery and onions.

Notes:

For the crock-pot version –cook salmon and set aside and sauté bacon, onions, garlic, celery, asparagus and curry powder together in a pan until bacon is crispy and onions are translucent, transfer to crock-pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and set on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

Since my hubby to be isn’t a fan of chowder, and this makes far more than I can eat, I put cooled chowder into mason jars and gave them to friends for a tasty dinner.

Although I haven’t tried it myself, you could probably freeze this recipe for a quick dinner, just be sure to stir it well as coconut milk has a tendency to separate after being thawed.