This classic Corn Chowder with Salmon takes advantage of the fresh sweet flavour and texture of corn on the cob when it’s in peak season. With the addition of chunks of real salmon, you’ve elevated a simple chowder into a restaurant worthy dish.
You can certainly make a good corn chowder from basic ingredients and even use canned corn. Most canned vegetables are processed at their peak of ripeness so the flavour is pretty good. Or, you can use leftover cooked corn on the cob in this recipe. But if you remove the kernels from the raw cob yourself, not only do you get the best flavour, you also get a nice crunchy element. And there’s a little trick to help flavour the broth too.
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There are a few methods for safely removing corn from the cob. The first and most important step is to ensure the cob is stable. If you remove the “handle” you’ll have a flat surface so you can stand the cob upright. Use a smaller sharp knife or a special tool for removing kernels, holding the top with one hand and cutting downward with your dominant hand. It’s helpful if you stand the cob inside a shallow bowl or plate so the corn lands in the container. Less messy. Make sure you angle the knife so you’re only cutting the kernels and not cutting into the cob. If you prefer, you can lay the corn on its side on a cutting board and use a longer knife. Corn silk can be sticky so make sure to pick off any remnants left hanging around after you’ve peeled the cobs. There may be some mixed in with the kernels once they’re cut off so pick them out while breaking up the chunks of corn. Set the corn aside while you make the base of the chowder.
If this were a Seafood Chowder you could add fish, seafood and shells to the broth to help add flavour. But since the main ingredient is corn, adding the cobs once you’ve removed the kernels to the broth helps amp up the flavour. Use a pot that’s large enough to hold the cobs or break the cobs in half. You can use a higher fat dairy, like coffee cream if you want a richer chowder. Or, to keep the fat content down you can use regular milk. This recipe has 5% cream which would be labelled as light cream in the US, so it’s somewhere right in the middle. And choose a reduced sodium chicken broth so you can control the amount of salt. Since you’ve also got whole peppercorns and a bay leaf in there, you’ll need a fine strainer to pour the broth through when adding it to the other pot. Yes, 2 pots, one for the broth and one for the chowder. Sorry but it’s worth it.
Many chowders include bacon. Normally, there’s no such thing as too much bacon, but in this case, a few strips is enough to add a little smoky element without overpowering the dish. Once you’ve browned the bacon, the onion and celery is sautéed in the fat left behind. There’s no need to rush this step because the broth needs time to simmer so take your time but don’t let the onion get dark, just a golden colour. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook for a minute or so, just to incorporate the flour into the fat. If you like a thicker chowder, use 3 Tbsp, otherwise 2 is enough. If your bacon doesn’t leave enough fat behind you might have to add a spoonful of butter.
Remove the cobs from the broth and pour through a strainer into the chowder pot. Add cubed potatoes and bring to a simmer. The amount of salt needed depends on the sodium content of your chicken broth and your taste. Potatoes tend to soak up salt so make sure you’re seasoning in stages and tasting as the dish progresses. Add the corn (and any juice) to the pot after about 10 minutes so it doesn’t over cook.
There isn’t a large portion of salmon in this chowder. It’s not the star of the show but make sure to choose a good quality filet. If fish is fresh, the flesh should be firm and brightly coloured and not have large gaping areas. You can choose fresh or frozen, wild or farmed. You can even use smoked salmon which works nicely with the smoky bacon. My personal preference is wild pacific red salmon if I can find it. Cut the fish into smaller chunks, no larger than bite sized. Yes, you are adding it raw to the chowder. It doesn’t take long to cook. But it will break up if you stir it around too much so be gentle and let it poach on low heat for about 5 minutes. The upside of having the salmon in chunks is that someone who doesn’t really like salmon can take a serving without any pieces. Which leaves more for everyone else.
Fresh dill works really well with salmon. I like to add it at the end so it keeps its bright green colour. Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits are an excellent accompaniment.
If you make Corn Chowder with Salmon, consider leaving a comment or rating below. Here’s the recipe:
Corn Chowder with Salmon
Ingredients
- 3 medium cobs corn, raw
- 3⅔ cup chicken broth, reduced sodium 1 900 ml carton
- 2 cups 5% cream 500 ml
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 strips bacon, finely sliced
- 1 onion, minced
- 2 stalks celery, minced
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- ½ lb good qualify fresh salmon 225 grams
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped dill plus extra for garnish
- cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Peel husks and silk from corn. Safely remove kernels using a sharp knife or tool. Pick out any silk, break up chunks of corn and set aside.
- Add stripped corn cobs to large pot, along with chicken broth, cream, ½ tsp salt, peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, sauté bacon strips in soup pot or dutch oven until browning but not crispy. Add onion and celery and continue to sauté until golden and soft and bacon is more crispy. Do not rush this step in order to allow broth to simmer long enough.
- Add butter to pan. When melted, sprinkle flour over mixture and cook for a minute or so, stirring until flour is well incorporated.
- Remove cobs from broth. Pour broth through strainer (to catch peppercorns and bay leaves) into bacon mixture. Add diced potatoes and bring mixture to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add corn and any juices to pot. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add additional ½ tsp salt if required. Adjust amount to taste.
- Cut salmon into bite sized pieces. Scatter into pot and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring only occasionally and gently so pieces don't break up.
- Add fresh dill once salmon is cooked through, reserving extra for garnish. Add black pepper to serving bowls if desired.
Nutrition
more summer harvest soups
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This soup is delicious. I used pink salmon to make it a bit more mild as Kevin is learning to like salmon again. The cobs in the broth is a great idea.
I’m so glad you got Kevin to try some!