This post is in partnership with Milk. All opinions are my own.
Last year, summer came and went and I did not make corn chowder once. Shame on me. I made Tomato-Corn Relish, I made Tomato, Corn, Basil, and Mozzarella Pasta Salad, I made Fresh Corn and Bacon Cornbread, but I did not make corn chowder.
A Main Course Corn Chowder
So, this September I slid one in under the wire and it’s now a fall-favorite. This is a main course chowder. In this recipe, once you have cut the corn kernels from the corn cob, the cobs are then simmered in milk plus half-and-half for a bit. This allows you to get even more flavor into the soup, as the milk picks up more corn taste from the cobs. I love this kind of resourceful cooking; it makes me feel like I am getting every bit of corn essence into the chowder.
Then, once the corn and potatoes are cooked in the milk-broth mixture, part of the vegetables get blended in a food processor, with the liquid which gives it a lovely thick texture, and allows the whole soup to become nicely blended together.
We love a creamy chowder, and a blend of half-and-half plus whole milk gives it body and substance and makes the soup so satisfying. Real milk in chowder is what makes a New England chowder. Plus, it’s an affordable, nutritious staple that I always make sure to have in my fridge.
Seafood Substitutions for Corn Chowder
Over the years we have spent quite a bit of time on Cape Cod, and a bowl of any kind of clam or corn chowder sends us all right back there, memory-wise. Clams would be fantastic instead of salmon, and very classic — I am also thinking that this would be pretty spectacular with some chopped shrimp or baby scallops.
Dill is the herb featured in this chowder, and you should make sure to have extra on hand to garnish the soup, which not only makes these bowls beautiful, but also give it an additional burst of fresh herby flavor at the end.
This makes a whole lot of chowder. If you have a smaller group feel free to cut the recipe in half. If you wanted to make a loaf of Chimichurri Garlic Bread and serve tyht up on the side no one would be sad at all.
A main course soup, chock-a-block with chunks of salmon, corn, potatoes, and bound together with a creamy savory, dill-flecked chowder.
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More Fish & Seafood Recipes:
- Provencal Fish Stew
- Pasta with Extreme White Clam Sauce
- Casserole of Shrimp and Hearts of Palm (Camarões com Palmito)
- Honey Garlic Shrimp
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Salmon Corn Chowder
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ears corn
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 2 pounds skinless salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ cup minced shallots
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 6 Yukon gold potatoes about 2 pounds, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh dill , plus extra for garnish
- Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
- Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels from the corn; you should have about 4 cups, give or take. Break the corn cobs in half, and reserve the kernels.
- Place the whole milk and the half-and-half in a medium pot along with the corn cobs and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Adjust the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the corn cobs with tongs, reserving the milk mixture.
- Meanwhile, cut the salmon into 1-inch pieces. In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the salmon and sauté just until the outside turns opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Return the pot to the stove and heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the potatoes. Partially cover the pot, keep the broth at a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
- In a blender or food processor, place 1 cup of the corn kernels use a slotted spoon to scoop out about ½ cup of cooked potatoes and add those to the bender; pour in about half of the milk mixture, and puree until smooth.
- Add the pureed mixture along with the remaining corn kernels and the remaining milk mixture back into the pot, and return to just barely a simmer. Simmer gently for 2 minutes, then add the partially cooked salmon and the 3 tablespoons dill. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for another 2 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through. Use the back of the spoon to break up the salmon into smaller chunks.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed and serve hot, with a sprinkle of fresh dill.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition values are provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional.
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