Hi, Ashley here! At this point, we’re friends right? No need to introduce myself anymore. Good, because I want to get right into this recipe for a salmon bisque.
My dad loves to fish, and this weekend he brought home some fresh salmon. He wanted to make something different, and since it’s getting chilly outside, we decided on a warm bisque. Of course you could use any seafood you’d like- lobster, clams, shrimp.
This is the kind of dish you want to make when it’s gray and chilly, you hear the wind blowing outside, and all you want to do is snuggle down on the couch.
Salmon Bisque
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks (with tops!), chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (chardonnay)
- 4 cups (2- 8oz cans) low-sodium chicken, fish, or vegetable stock (you can also use broth)
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste or puree
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt + a pinch
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + a pinch
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (fresh if you have it)
- 4 Tablespoons plain greek yogurt (you can also use heavy cream, but yogurt is much healthier and adds a nice tang)
- 1 lb salmon fillets, cubed
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauce pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until soft and the edges start to brown.
- Add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook until the garlic is just fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the wine and cook until mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes.
- Add the stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper. (If you don’t have tomato paste, you can use puree. I was making a pot of tomato sauce and added that and it turned out delicious).
- Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice and greek yogurt.
- Next you will need to blend the bisque (unless you want to keep it a soup). If you have a hand stick blender, you can blend right on the stove in the same pot. Otherwise, let the bisque cool slightly and blend in a blender. (Take the center piece out of the blender lid and cover the top with a hand towel so the steam can escape while you blend.)
- Return to the pot and add in the salmon. Let the salmon cook on low heat in the bisque for about 15 minutes, or until the salmon chunks are cooked through. Do not let the bisque boil. I like cooking the salmon right in the bisque so it picks up all the delicious flavors. It also makes the meat really tender. You can also grill, sauté, poach, or bake the salmon and add it to the bisque later.
- Enjoy!
