I remember with great fondness, the taste of the clam chowder that was served at the Jones Beach, N.Y. concession stands when I was a kid. It was a Manhattan-style clam chowder but wasn't the tomato-heavy variety that is served in most restaurants. I came up with this recipe which is pretty close to the flavor I remember. While the recipe originally calls for clams, I've lately been using salmon and found it to be very good. As a bonus, it's a treat for my friends who have shellfish allergies.
Some people are very efficient and plan out their entire dinner menu for the week. I'm not one of those people. I do however try to keep grocery and pantry items on hand so that I can prepare whatever moves me on a particular day. This soup has a fair amount of ingredients but nearly all of them are items that I always have on hand. I buy a large fillet of salmon at a club store and portion it out when I get home. I freeze the pieces individually in zip-lock bags. There are usually some scraps that aren't large enough for a nice portion. I use those pieces in the soup. If you prefer, use canned clams with their juice instead of the salmon.
- 6 ounces salmon fillet, without skin
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic, 2 or 3 cloves
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock, or equivalent bouillon cubes and water
- 1 small zucchini or green squash, diced
- 2 tablespoons Canola or vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Heat the oil in a 3 quart pot and add the onions, carrots, garlic, and celery. Saute until the vegetables are soft - about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, Worcestershire Sauce, Old Bay, zucchini, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, lower, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add the salmon and cook for another 5 minutes or until the salmon can be easily flaked with a fork.
- Season with salt and pepper as necessary.