Ahoy matey! Cast all of your dining worries away when you have this boat-sized bowl full of seafood goodness at your table. Dock Chowder will lure you in and have you floating along in a whole new depth of dinner flavors in no time. It’s a loaded ship of tender potatoes, flaky salmon, and mild pollock, along with a wonderful sea-mate of seasoning and the creamiest broth that will get your sail set in the right direction. No baiting here! If you are hankering for a taste of the sea, this Dock Chowder will reel you in with the best taste on the coast (or the Midwest, or wherever you may be), because it’s stocked with the best sea-fairing flavors that you could dream of. One bite and you will be hooked!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 3 slices prosciutto, fat trimmed and cut into strips
- 2-3 leeks, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 lemon thyme sprigs, plus extra leaves, to taste, for garnish
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, sliced 1/4-inch-thick
- 3 cups vegetable stock, hot
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- chili flakes, to taste
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 pound salmon fillet, skinless
- 1/2 pound pollack or haddock fillets, skinless
- 3 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream, half-fat
- chives, to taste, snipped, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –In a large, deep sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat.
Step 2 –Add the prosciutto to the oil and fry until crisp, about 2 minutes.
Step 3 –Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried prosciutto to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, letting any excess oil drain back into the pan.
Step 4 –Add the remaining oil to the pan.
Step 5 –Add the leeks, the garlic, 3 of the thyme sprigs, and the bay leaves to the oil and cook until the leeks start to soften, but keep their color, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 6 –Add the potatoes to the leek mixture and fry, stirring and turning occasionally, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 7 –Add the hot vegetable stock and the boiling water to the potato mixture and gently press the potatoes down to ensure they are completely covered with the liquid.
Step 8 –Bring the potato mixture to a boil over high heat, uncover, and boil vigorously until the potatoes are almost cooked and the liquid slightly thickens, about 10 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the chili flakes, the salt, and the black pepper to the potato mixture and gently stir to combine.
Step 10 –Reduce the heat to medium and top the potato mixture with the salmon and the pollock.
Step 11 –Season the top of the salmon and the pollock with the black pepper and gently press the fish down into the broth until just submerged.
Step 12 –Cover and simmer until the salmon and the pollock reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
Step 13 –Transfer the chowder from the heat and let it sit to allow it to gently finish cooking, about 5-10 minutes.
Step 14 –Transfer the thyme sprigs and the bay leaves from the chowder and discard.
Step 15 –Add the crème fraîche to the chowder and gently stir until creamy.
Step 16 –Put the chowder over medium heat on the stovetop to reheat, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 17 –Transfer the potatoes and the fish to wide, shallow individual serving bowls, allowing the fish to break into pieces. Top with the broth, the chives, the extra thyme leaves, and the crisp prosciutto.
Step 18 –Serve.
