Soup Makes A Quick Porch Meal

Now that warmer weather has arrived, my husband and I have started using the sun porch on the southern side of our house once again.

Looking at this special area after everything was cleaned and in its place, I realized how much I had missed eating meals there with light pouring in and breezes sweeping through the windows. Within a few minutes I decided to call some good friends and invite them for a simple porch supper that very night.

Because this was truly last-minute entertaining, the menu had to be quite simple. Tucked away in my files was a recipe for Peppered Salmon and Corn Chowder, a delicious soup that easily could serve as a main course.

A salad of watercress and cucumbers tossed in a vinaigrette sauce and a basket of bakery-bought, crusty sourdough bread were good accompaniments. For dessert I purchased lemon sorbet and almond cookies at a nearby store.

The all-in-one entree was the perfect dish for this spur-of-the-moment meal. In under an hour, I broiled pepper-rubbed salmon steaks, cut them quickly into chunks and simmered them in chicken stock along with leeks, celery, garlic, corn, potatoes, herbs and seasonings. A little nonfat yogurt and milk is added at the end to enrich the chowder.

Although I made and served the dish the same day, this soup can easily be prepared a day ahead and then reheated. It works well as a main course but could also be offered as an opener to precede roast lamb or grilled chicken.

Peppered Salmon and Corn Chowder

2 (3/4-inch-thick) salmon steaks (about 1 1/4 pounds)

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 to 4 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

Salt, coarsely ground black pepper

2 cups chopped, cleaned leeks, white parts only

1 cup chopped celery

4 teaspoons chopped garlic

1/2 cup flour

3 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 cup fresh corn kernels or 1 cup frozen corn, defrosted and patted dry

1 pound medium red skin potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

3 tablespoons julienned roasted red peppers (see note)

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/4 teaspoon seafood boil seasoning (preferably Old Bay brand)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

5 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt

1 to 1 1/2 cups 1 percent milk

4 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

1/3 cup sliced green onions (including 2 inches of green stems)

Place salmon steaks on broiler rack. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon lemon juice over both sides of fish, then brush both sides with 1/2 tablespoon canola oil. Season fish on both sides, lightly with salt and generously with pepper. Let stand 10 minutes.

Preheat broiler and arrange rack 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Broil salmon until flesh is opaque and flakes easily, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove and cool. Discard skin, bones and any gray matter, then cut into 1-inch chunks. Set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon canola oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add leeks, celery and garlic and saute, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In large heavy pot set over medium-high heat, add remaining 3 tablespoons canola oil. When hot, add flour and cook and stir 1 minute. Add chicken stock and whisk constantly to blend flour and liquid for about 3 minutes. (Sauce should be thick enough to coat back of spoon.) Stir in the sauteed leek mixture, corn, potatoes, red peppers, liquid smoke, Worcestershire, tarragon, seafood boil seasoning, mustard and yogurt. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat and cook at simmer until potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons fresh dill and cooked salmon. Cook just to heat salmon, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 cup milk. If soup seems too thick, add remaining 1/2 cup milk. Heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Taste and season with salt and pepper. (Soup can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat, stirring, over medium heat.)

To serve, ladle soup into 6 shallow soup bowls. Garnish each serving with some sliced green onions and remaining dill.

Yield: 6 servings.

Note: For a recipe where a small amount of roasted peppers are needed, I buy peppers already roasted in the deli section of the grocery, or I purchase a jar of roasted peppers found in the canned vegetables or condiments section.

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