Salmon Chowder with Crispy Salmon Skin and Tomato, Red Pepper Confit!

I am a BIG fan of seafood chowder! Seafood chowder is a classic dish in American cuisine commonly made with seafood, seafood or vegetable stock, vegetables and your favorite seasonings. The salmon chowder that my cousin and I recently made is next level delicious and proves that you can make any seafood chowder into a highly innovative and sophisticated dish. It is perfect for any occasion, can be made the night before you serve it or the day of. This scrumptious seafood chowder that is topped with heavenly crispy salmon skin and a vibrant tomato and red pepper confit is made in two parts.

To begin, make the tomato and red pepper confit about two and half hours before you would like to start preparing your salmon chowder. Although this dish is time consuming, it is so easy to make and unbelievably tasty. To start making the confit, preheat your oven to 300 degrees, then cut two red peppers into quarters and cut three tomatoes into thirds. Once completed cut three garlic cloves into fourths. Take your ingredients and place them in an oven friendly pot with a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil and approximately a teaspoon of salt (season to taste). You can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat. Place your pot in the oven and let it cook for about two hours, occasionally stirring the confit every 30 minutes. You want the tomatoes and peppers to be cooked down and very juicy, as you are going to use some of the tomato, pepper juice from the confit in your chowder broth. After your confit is done it is time to start making the king of all chowders.

To start making your chowder you want to place one diced onion, one cup of chopped celery, and three roughly chopped cloves of garlic into a pot with about 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. While your vegetables are sautéing add three cups of vegetable or seafood stock, 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds, and 1 tablespoon of dill weed, and 1 tablespoon of salt, creating a flavorful base for your dish. As your broth simmers, gently cut the skin off your salmon, and keep the skin to crisp at the end. Cut one pound of salmon into 1-2 inch pieces and set aside. Then thinly slice 3 quarters of a pound of Creamer Potatoes and cut three husks of corn into thirds. It is currently corn season and the corn at Farmers Markets right now tastes like the epitome of summer -- sweet and juicy. When your potatoes and corn are cut add them to your pot and sauté until tender. You want to continuously simmer your chowder, ensuring that broth does not boil. Once the potatoes and corn are tender, add 2 cups of unsweetened canned coconut milk or coconut cream. The coconut milk and creme adds a natural sweetness and creaminess to the broth, enriching the dishes' depth and undertones. Before adding the salmon to your broth, dry off your salmon skin with a paper towel, cut into small pieces, and place in a separate pan with olive oil, chopped scallions, and a pinch of salt. In order to get really crispy salmon skin the skin needs to be completely dry before it goes on the pan. Finally, add the salmon to your pot, slowly stirring at a constant simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing your salmon to perfectly poach. After the salmon is poached immediately turn off the heat so your salmon does not overcook.

Now, for the grand finale to complete your dish, ladle your delicious salmon chowder into a bowl and add some of the fabulous juice from your confit as well as the tomato and red pepper confit itself. Add some chopped parsley and celery leaves to embellish the chowder with a bright contrast. And to finish place your crispy salmon skin and scallions on top to end the dish with a showstopper touch! To say the least this chowder is addicting! It is creamy, crunchy, salty, sweet, refreshing, and vibrant. If you make this dish I promise that you will never go back to a basic clam chowder again.