Soup Club (But Not Really) #14: The Forbidden Salmon Chowder
Jeff
9/6/20252 min read
So, what does a Soup Club member do on a Friday afternoon when their fridge is full of the random scraps and residue from Tuesday’s official soup showdown? Make more soup…obviously. Now, let’s be clear—this was not a sanctioned Soup Club entry. Why? Because it had fish in it.
Which brings me to…The Soup Club Rulebook (Unofficial, but binding, maybe?)
Soup must be made with love (clean environment of course!)
Toppers are strongly encouraged—bonus points if they crunch or have good texture.
Conlan won’t eat fish. Therefore: no fish in Soup Club. Period.
Soup Club is not a competition… except when it is.
So, today’s pot was a rogue batch. A fun batch. A “weekend vacation condo with limited supplies” batch. Luckily, I happen to have a lifetime supply of Lake Michigan wild-caught salmon hanging around. My dad used to make salmon chowder, so I figured: why not? Throw everything in the pot and pray its edible.
The blueprint was Manhattan chowder-ish (tomatoes, potatoes, hearty base), but upgraded with:
Lentils – because they’re hearty and I like lentils.
Brussels sprouts – because Kevin still hasn’t forgiven me for sneaking them into Tuesday’s soup. (Seriously, man. Google it. Eight health benefits.)
Blueberries – risky, yes. But I’ve been pairing them with salmon and it works. Don’t knock it till you try it.
Halfway through cooking, I snuck a sip of the broth and… wow. Not to brag, but I impressed myself. (And if you know me, that’s not easy. Soup connoisseur right here.)
Showtime: the texture? Perfect. I was worried because I didn’t have my immersion blender—yes, Conlan, I spelled it right this time—but the soup didn’t need it. Flavor? Even better than the broth test.
Final score (from me, to me): 9.8. Would’ve been a 10, but I had no toppers or sides.
So yeah, rogue salmon chowder = nailed it. Someone get Conlan a fish-free version so I can flaunt this properly.
9/7/2025 Update: had this soup again yesterday and it was even better after the flavors blended overnight, so up to a 9.9. Oh, added cherry walnut sour dough bread as a side and smoked salmon/pistachios/pumpkin seeds as toppers, perfect 10!