SOUP

Perfect accompaniment for Bethel Heights Chardonnay. Add French bread and a tossed salad, and you’ve got dinner!

This recipe is an adaptation from Deane Morgan’s Salmon cookbook published in 2005. It is a wonderful way to use leftover baked or poached salmon, left in large chunks, (no skin or pin bones), and added just before you add the cream. All it has to do is warm up before you add the cream.

• 2 ears fresh white corn
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 strips bacon, chopped
• 
1 onion, chopped
• 6 to 7 red potatoes, partially peeled, some skin intact. Yukon Gold also are very nice.
• 
2 T fresh thyme leaves
• 1 bottle clam juice (or two cups of your own seafood broth)
• 
1 cup chicken broth, preferably homemade
• 1 cup (or less) leftover white wine
• 1 cup half and half cream
• 1 salmon fillet, 12 ounces minimum, and if you have more, add it and increase the liquid and potatoes if you need to. 
If using fresh salmon, cut into two inch squares for cooking in the broth. If using cooked salmon, tear into nice large chunks and add it just before the cream.
• 1/3 cup minced fresh Italian parsley
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Husk corn and remove silks. Par-boil for 3 minutes. Plunge in cold water. When cool, cut from cob and set aside. Discard cobs.
2. 
Cook bacon pieces in large, heavy-duty skillet or dutch oven until moist, but cooked. Remove with slotted spoon, and set aside. Pour off all but 1 T fat.
3. Add onion and sauté over medium heat until soft (about four minutes).
4. 
Cut potatoes into half-inch cubes.
5. 
Add to onions: potatoes, salt, clam juice, wine, broth and thyme. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until potatoes are just fork tender (10 minutes or so).
6. 
Add corn, bacon and salmon. If fresh salmon, bring to gentle simmer, and cook for five minutes or so. Just until salmon turns dull pink. If cooked salmon, just warm it all up. Add cream, but do not let soup boil after you add the cream. Just a nice simmer. Add parsley, season with added salt and the pepper.