Thai Smoked Salmon Chowder

On Saturday, Brad came home with a BIG smile and a couple of BIG salmon from the sea:) Within minutes he had them prepped and ready to be frozen fresh or soaked in a sweet/salty bring for the smoker. First thing Sunday morning we loaded 20 pounds of fat fillets of white spring salmon into the 'Little Chief'. By supper time we were noshing on the tastiest smoked salmon you can imagine...

Smoked salmon is intense. We eat quite a bit of it (lucky for us) and so I am always looking for new ways to prepare it- wouldn't want to get sick of it now would we!

With the grey skies looming I was in the mood for chowder on Monday night, so I put together some of my favorite flavours to create a not-so-traditional salmon chowder.

Thai Smoked Salmon Chowder

(makes...a lot)

1tbs veg oil

1 onion diced

5 garlic cloves minced

2 tbs minced ginger

1 stick lemon grass- chopped into 2 inch pieces

2 carrots diced

1.5 cups new local baby potatoes diced

1 can coconut milk

6 cups vegetable stock

1-2 cups frozen corn

1.5 cups mushrooms diced

1.5-2 cups chopped smoked salmon

1 tsp sambal olek (hot sauce)

juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup each chopped cilantro & green onions

Saute onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass in oil. Add all other ingredients up to stock. Simmer until spuds are just cooked. Add corn, mushrooms and salmon until cooked through. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients- add more to taste.

Top with fresh cilantro and chives.

We have these crazy scapes looping around the tops of our garlic in the veg garden. So, I steamed up a few and popped them in the chowder bowls.

This chowder is great served with rice and a green salad as well. Mmmmmmmm...
Enjoy!