Food Network: Smoky Salmon Chowder with Lemon Pepper Crackers

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Smoky Salmon Chowder with Lemon Pepper Crackers
Recipe courtesy Sara Moulton, Sara Moulton Cooks at Home, Broadway Books, 2002

Ingredients
For crackers:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt, for sprinkling

For chowder:
6 to 8 boiling potatoes (about 1 pound)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk, heated

1 pound salmon fillet, skinned
4 ounces smoked salmon, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
To prepare the crackers: Combine the flour, pepper, lemon rind, and
butter in a large bowl. Blend with fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse
meal. Stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon cold water. Toss to form stiff dough.
Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead briefly into a ball. Add a 1 to 2 teaspoons of cold
water if the dough appears to be too stiff. Wrap the ball in plastic and refrigerate until well
chilled, at least 15 minutes (The dough can be made up to a day in advance).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the ball in half and working with one half at a time, roll the
dough out 1/16-inch thick. Use a 2-inch cookie cutter to make 16 rounds. Repeat with the other half
of the dough. Transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake in the middle of
the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Cool on wire racks for 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 32 crackers.

To make the chowder: Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch cubes. Melt the butter in a saucepan
over low heat; add the onion and cook, stirring often until softened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the
flour and cook for about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, pour in the hot milk, and
bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Add the potatoes, season with salt, and reduce the heat to
medium-low. Cook until the potatoes are almost tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the salmon, and cook
until slightly firm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Transfer the salmon to a plate and break into
chunks. Add the chunks, smoked salmon, dill and lemon juice to the hot chowder. Season with salt and
pepper and simmer until just heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve hot with crackers on the
side.