Farmers Market Smoked Fish, Corn & Vegetable Chowder (Dairy-Free & Mostly Local) for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I have been craving chowder--thick and creamy, full of corn and potatoes. A Saturday morning trip to the farmers market loaded me up with everything I needed--onions, young garlic, small new potatoes, corn, pepper, carrots and herbs. The smoked fish looked tempting so I added some ahi and marlin. I wanted to keep it dairy-free so I used coconut milk creamer. With the exception of the Earth Balance, olive oil, creamer, salt and pepper from the pantry, everything is local and fresh from the farmers market. Perfect for spring.   
 

Smoked Fish, Corn & Vegetable Chowder 
by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Serves 6)

1 Tbsp Earth Balance butter substitute 
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 small carrots, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 young garlic, white and green parts, chopped finely
4-5 smallish potatoes, cubed (about 4 cups worth)
4 cups broth (I used "non-chicken" base & water)
2-3 ears of corn kernels removed, (about 2-3 cups)
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped finely
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped finely
8 oz smoked fish of choice (I used ahi & marlin), chopped or shredded
2 cups non-dairy creamer separated
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp corn starch
salt and black pepper to taste.

Heat butter substitute and oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. When heated, add onion, carrots, bell pepper and garlic scapes and saute about 7-8 minutes until softened. Add potatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Add corn, dill, parsley, and smoked fish and continue to simmer for another 5-7 minutes. 

Thoroughly mix corn starch into 1 cup of the non-dairy creamer in a small bowl. Stir mixture into soup, raise heat and stir until soup starts to boil and thicken slightly. Reduce heat to low and stir in remaining non-dairy creamer. Cook until heated through--do not boil. Taste and season as needed with salt and black pepper and additional herbs. Serve in hollowed sourdough bread bowls or in soup bowls with bread on the side.

 
Notes/Results: A great lighter combination of sweet vegetables and bites of smoky fish in a slightly creamy but not too rich base. Satisfying without being heavy. I would have liked a bit more corn--I swore I bought two little bags of ears at the farmers market--oh well! For the fish I debated between the ahi and marlin and I am glad I ended up with both. The marlin was softer and the ahi more firm and I like the two different textures mixed together. The bread bowls are a fun touch but this soup is just as good served in bowls with bread on the side. I would definitely make this again. 

 
Good friends await in the Souper Sundays kitchen, let's take a look.

Graziana of Erbe in Cucina (Cooking with Herbs) shares a creamy Parsnip and Welsh Onion Soup and says, "I finally harvested a nice bunch of parsnips from my rooftop. This year I chose the variety Guernsey, with shorter and thick roots, very sweet and fragrant. I also harvested the last Welsh onions sown last spring. In Italy it's called winter onion,because it grows during autumn, to be harvested during the winter. It has a strong taste, and I prefer to consume after a quick cooking ratherthan raw. With these two freshly harvested ingredients, along with celery and robiola I created a delicate and tasty vegetable soup."

Fellow Oahu blogger Spencer  of Live2Eatat2Live is back this week with a Ham Hock and Turnip Soup and says, "It’s been kind of chilly of late (relatively that is). Highs in the mid-70′s. I know, to some that’s not even jacket weather, but to me, it’s cool. Soup weather. Just me playing with my food. No recipe, just whatevers in the fridge and pantry. I originally envisioned split pea soup, but the ingredients had a mind of its own. Added just a bit of quinoa for texture. Not the thick heavy soup, a lighter (but still hearty) version, with lots of veggies (and ham of course). Just right on a cool day."

Heather of girlichef is ramping up her instant noodles with her Ramen with Poached Egg, Kale, & Sriracha--one of three fancied-up noodle bowls she has featured in her post this week. She says, "A bowl of ramen that is chock-full of colorful veggies is a great way to use up those little bits and bobs floating around in your crisper not to mention those veggies add vitamins and minerals to your meal.  Leafy green vegetables add iron.  Eggs add protein.  If you have homemade stock or broth in the fridge or freezer, even better - replace the seasoning packets with one of those for less salt (and MSG)...basically, make it as wholesome as possible."

Also feeling "chowderish" is Mireille of Mireille's Global Creations with a bowl of hearty Salmon Chowder. She says, "Chowder is a type of soup popular in the American Northeast.  While there are many varieties of chowder, the most common types are Corn Chowder and Clam Chowder. In this Thai inspired chowder with the use of coconut milk, chile and cilantro, a full bodied flavor is achieved with the contrasting tones of earthy mushrooms and fresh asparagus."

Janet of The Taste Space has both a soup and a salad this week. Her soup entry is this savory Cauliflower Dal with Panch Phoran. Janet says, "Whenever we see cauliflower on sale, this is what tugs at our tummies. Red lentils envelope chunks of cauliflower in this quick curry. Of course, what separates each curry is the specific spice blend and this uses Bangladesh’s signature spice mix: panch phoran (Bengali 5 spice mix). You might remember it from my Bengali Quinoa and Spinach Bowl with the simple combination of cumin, fennel, nigella, fenugreek and mustard seeds."

Janet also shares this Roasted Carrot Hummus Salad with Black Rice, Tomatoes and Dill. She says, "Case in point. I made yet another new hummus. This time I shunned the chickpea and traded it for roasted carrots. I kept my favourite hummus classics: fresh lemon juice (with a strong flavour from the zest, too), garlic and tahini. Smoked paprika and cumin for more depth of flavour. This is a very creamy dip. Lip-smacking good.
Faced with some leftover hummus after a party, I decided to turn it into a thick dressing for my salad. ...I juxtaposed it against black rice, tomatoes, baby greens and fresh herbs."

Finally one more salad from Mira of Mermaid Cafe, this Blood Orange, Fennel and Avocado Salad. Mira says, "I have to be honest, I only made this salad because of the breathtaking assortment of blood orange and fennel salads I have been seeing on the internet. ... I don't know what it is about this salad - the combination of creamy avocado, crunchy fennel with its tantalizing hint of licorice, and sweet orange slices and dressing somehow creates the most amazing mix of flavours. I seriously want to eat this salad every single day. Which is good, because I don't really know what else to do with the rest of my fennel."

Thanks to everyone who joined in this week. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!