Martha Stewart's Summer Smoked Salmon Chowder Is Loaded With Zucchini & Corn

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Even though summer is so hot, there are some in-season ingredients that are just begging to be thrown into a soup, and we’re not just talking about gazpacho. Veggie chili and simmering pots of tomato sauce are regular occurences when the garden is bursting with bounty, and stuffed pepper soup made with in-season bell peppers is a cut above. But our favorite way to showcase summer veggies in a soup is with a creamy chowder. There’s something about the rich-yet-light broth of a summer chowder that’s the perfect compliment to the zucchini and corn flooding the markets right now, and Martha Stewart, author of Martha Stewart’s Cooking School, has a secret ingredient that boosts the flavor of this simple summer chowder instantly: smoked salmon.

Meaty chunks of hot-smoked salmon dot this chowder, adding a satisfying bite to each spoonful. It also infuses the broth with a smoky, savory flavor, which pairs like a dream with the sweet summer corn and chunks of zucchini. Potatoes add extra heft, and the usual aromatics of onion, celery, and carrot are included as well. And though the chowder is creamy, the broth is mostly made up of chicken stock, with some cream added right at the end.

It’s really that simple. Make sure you get hot smoked salmon at the store, which comes in meaty hunks and can be flaked and chunks; cold smoked salmon, the kind you put on bagels, won’t work in this recipe. As for the veggies, you want them to be as fresh as possible. That might mean they come from your garden, a farm stand, or a farmer’s market; but don’t be afraid to swap the fresh corn called for in the recipe with frozen sweet corn if you can’t find anything good in your area.

Oh, and don’t be afraid to add extra salmon — one reviewer, who gave Stewart’s smoked salmon, corn, and zucchini chowder recipe a 5-star rating, said “We all loved this recipe. I wish I had more smoked salmon, though…Delicious dish!”

In search of more summer recipes? Giada De Laurentiis has plenty:

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