This creamy fish chowder gets a Thai makeover with flavors of coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, and lime, for a unique spin on a comfort food favorite.
Course Soup
Cuisine Thai
Keyword chowder
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 50 minutesminutes
Servings 8to 12
Calories 545kcal
Ingredients
¼cupunsalted butter
½cupall-purpose flour
¼poundthick bacon, diced
1yellow onion, roughly chopped
½head of garlic, finely diced or pressed
1 3-inchfinger of ginger, peeled and diced
2bay leaves
Galanagal , to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
2stalks celery, sliced
2carrots, peeled and sliced
4-8ounceswhite wine
5-6red potatoes, unpeeled and roughly chopped
3cupsvegetable stock(chicken or fish stock also work)
2stalkslemongrass, cleaned and smashed
2kaffir lime leaves( or 1 heaping teaspoon lime zest)
½cupheavy cream
1 ½cupswhole milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 15-ouncecans coconut milk
1poundraw Copper River salmon, skinned and shredded or rustically cut
Cilantro leaves and red jalapeño , for garnish
Instructions
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, whisking continually, or until the flour browns lightly and smells nutty. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Slowly cook the bacon in a heavy stockpot over medium heat until the bacon fat is rendered and the bacon begins to crisp. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, galangal and cayenne pepper. Then add in the carrots and celery, stir and sauté until the vegetables become soft.
Stir in the wine and cook until the wine has reduced and absorbed into the veggies. Add the potatoes and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the stock, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves or zest, milk and the cream.
Raise to medium high heat and bring mixture to a low boil. Stir in the roux and cook until the mixture thickens, about 5-8 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
You can cool at this point and save for later, or add the coconut milk and any extra seasonings to taste.
When the soup is hot and creamy, add the chopped fish and simmer for a few minutes until the fish is just done and still tender.
Notes
recipe from Mikal Berry of Fishwives Food Truck, Cordova Alaska