Curried Potato and Poached Salmon Chowder

This is a recipe I did once, and it would appear it was quite the hit. I know that I personally couldn't get enough. I found this recipe in a book called "Chowders, Bisques and Soups. Recipes from Canada's Best Chefs". Canada's Best Chefs. How can that possibly be anything but awesome. And sure enough, it was. 

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup (125 mL) butter.
  • 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped onions.
  • 2 cups (500 mL) potatoes, peeled and diced.
  • 2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock.*
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon (7 mL) curry powder (regular curry powder from the spice rack).
  • 2 cups (500 mL) heavy cream (35%).** 
  • 4 oz (125 g) poached salmon. ***
  • Salt & pepper to taste.
Listen up: Most of my ingredients were organic. Even the salmon. Man oh man, does organic ever taste better. I swear it does!
 
* I used pretend chicken stock, because I don't do chicken, but to each his own.
** I added 250ml of 15% cream because I used more salmon than the recipe called for. More cream = More happiness.
*** I used at least double that amount, to add protein and because I found organic salmon and it looked so good.

Instructions:

  • Poach salmon and set aside (don't know how to poach salmon? Google it. I poached mine in a small amount of shallots, chicken stock and white wine).
  • Melt butter in a heavy sauce pan.
  • Sauté onions in butter, until translucent.
  • Stir in potatoes, chicken stock and curry powder.
  • Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
  • Stir in cream and simmer until thickened.
  • Gently flake the salmon and add to soup just before serving (but long enough before for it to get hot again). I flaked mine in fairly large pieces, because I served it as a meal, so it had to have good size pieces.
  • Adjust salt & pepper.

Keeping it simple, I served this soup with nothing else. Not even bread. It's perfect on its own. OK, well maybe I served wine, but that's it.