Watch Out For The Flying Fish!
Yes, that’s a flying salmon – because the legendary Pike Place Fish Market Fishmongers in Seattle has the most entertaining way to fill your order – by tossing it to you!
Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market has been in operation since 1907 – with a wide arrange of seafood counters, along with fresh fruit, vegetables, butchers, bakers and more! Why am I telling you this? Because I ordered smoked salmon from these folks and cooked with it!
Well, I saw this photo of “Seattle Smoked Salmon Chowder” and I knew I had to make it! I found it at the “Little Spice Jar” food site, and since I was born and raised in Seattle, I knew it was time to cook it myself, so let’s get to it!
Ingredients:
What brings the “creamy” out in this recipes is cream cheese, heavy cream and creme fraiche! Here’s the rest:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. potatoes, diced (Yukon gold or russet)
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 ½ -3 ½ cups stock (fish, shrimp, or chicken)
- 1 can green olives
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4-ounce cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 4 teaspoons low sodium Old Bay seasoning
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces shrimp chopped
- 8 ounces smoked salmon, roughly diced into small pieces
Soften the veggies: Melt the butter in a large stockpot or dutch oven. Allow the onions and celery to soften; this will take about 6-8 minutes over medium heat. Then, we’ll add in the minced garlic and potatoes. Give it all a good stir. Crush the fennel between your fingers, or you can use a mortar and pestle.
I also added green olives because I love them!
Add those into the soup along with bay leaves, dried basil and diced tomatoes. Here’s a look at how it all came together at the end:
Make it creamy: When the potatoes have softened, stir in the tomato paste, cream cheese, and seafood seasoning. Allow the cream cheese to just melt right into the soup. Then, add the heavy cream and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Allow the chowder to gently warm through until a light simmer develops. Then, stir in the shrimp and smoked salmon and let everything just heat through.
Serve it: Serve the chowder immediately, or allow it to cool a bit and then cover and refrigerate for several hours. This allows the flavors to develop further and will thicken the chowder a bit more. Keep a little extra stock on hand in case you need it to bring the chowder back to your desired consistency when serving!
Check out a longer cut with all aspects of the cooking of the dish included – and a pretty soundtrack from Coldplay:
As you can imagine, I loved this dish! The creaminess of the chowder works perfectly with the green olives and tomatoes, which pack a nice punch as well…and of course the smoked salmon is delicious! I always serve it over rice but you don’t have to – and crusty bread is also a great idea!
Thanks again to “Little Spice Jar” for the recipe..see more of wha they have to offer here!
I have another chowder recipe coming soon as well – a riff on this one:
This is my favorite: a Bermuda Fish Chowder with Outerbridges Sherry Peppers Sauce…see that recipe here – you will thank me the longest day of your life!
Speaking of cooking around the world, remember when I made a Macau Meatloaf with a bacon wrap?
This is a delicious treat that presents well – here’s the recipe!
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Categories: Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Cookbooks, Eat This!, Food, Food Travel, Recipes, Wacky Food, World's Wildest Food
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
The chowder looks beautiful. I used to live in Seattle and I miss it terribly! But one thing – I don’t like when lox/col-smoked salmon is cooked. It gets extra salty and the texture changes. So If I want it in a dish I add it at the last minute.
I added it twice here: one portion earlier and one at the very end – completely understand your POV on this – and you can just add fresh salmon in chunks instead! Thanks for pointing that out!
Oh man, this looks divine! Cream, cream, and more cream!
Yes, you have to commit to the recipe – I mean I dont think k I’ve ever used cream cheese this way! Thanks for the comment!
this sounds delicious, I love fish chowders and stews of all kinds
This is a really delicious sounding recipe, John 😋
Robbie, I had never “cooked” with smoked salmon before and it’s a strong, yet very satisfying flavor…thanks for the comment and thank you as always for sharing on Bluesky!
My pleasure. My mom loves smoked salmon 🌈
I grew up in Seattle and it’s iconic! Your Mom has great tastE!
Looks really good! Saving it to try later!
It is rare to find chowder sold in restaurants in Britain, so I may have to try to cook it myself one day. I am a fan of smoked salmon, but it’s so expensive here now it has to be a ‘treat’.
Best wishes, Pete.
Yes it is indeed expensive here in New York as well Pete!
Have shared this recipe I love fish chowder and I think even hubby would eat this 🙂
Using smoked salmon is unique but I love it…thanks for the note!
I love the idea of smoked salmon thats what attracted me to the recipe, John 😊