I made this soup last week with a stray salmon filet and a piece of cod I found in the back of my cave freezer, but you can also make it a vegan dinner with kelp broth and tofu or white beans. I only had sweet potatoes and it was delicious. Next time I will add lovage as the plant I started from seed will soon be ready to harvest. If you have never tried lovage, it is a large perennial that taste a bit like celery. I like the leaves in soups. I think you can eat the roots and seeds as well.
4-6 servings
- 1 tsp Black peppercorns
- 2 lb boneless, skinless cod and/or salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp smokey paprika (optional)
- Pinch Korean chili powder or to taste (optional)
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, or leeks diced into 1/4-inch cubes; or 2-3 small shallots, chopped (or use more celery)
- 3-4 stalks of celery, diced
- 1 lb all-purpose potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes, cauliflower flowerets, or diced sweet potatoes
- 1/4 lb pound bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch strips (optional)
- 8 Cups fish stock or dashi (Japanese fish broth, such as Hondashi bonito soup stock) or vegan stock
- 2 Fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 Cup Coconut cream (or use entire can)
- Toasted nori sheets or seaweed snacks, crumbled into very small pieces, or dried seaweed flakes (optional)
- Snipped chives or minced scallion greens, for serving (optional)
In a small pan over low heat, toast the peppercorns until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Coarsely grind and set aside or use coarse ground black pepper. Trim cod and/or salmon of any pin bones or bits of skin and cut into 1-inch cubes. Lightly salt the cubes all over and set aside on paper towels to drain. Keep seafood refrigerated until ready to use. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. When the butter is just sizzling, add onion/leeks/shallots, celery, and potatoes, and cook, stirring, until the onions/leeks/shallots or celery start to turn transluscent and the potatoes are gold at the edges, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, if using bacon, cook the strips in a hot skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside on paper towels to drain. Add butter to bacon for flavoring, if you wish. Add stock, cauliflower, if using, thyme, and toasted peppercorns to pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. The potatoes should not be cooked through. Stir in cream and heat through over low heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper
Just before serving, with the chowder simmering over low heat, stir in seafood and greens and simmer until cauliflower and/or potatoes are soft and seafood is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. The time for cooking greens depend on the greens used. Stir in the bacon.
Ladle the chowder into bowls. You want each serving to be around 2 parts broth to 1 part chunky goodness. Use your fingers to crush the nori into powdery bits, if using, and sprinkle over the top of each serving. Place about 1 teaspoon chives or scallions (if used) in the center of each bowl and serve immediately.
VEGAN VERSION: fry drained, firm tofu in coconut oil with nutritional yeast or use drained white beans instead of fish. Leave out bacon.
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