Recipe Of The Day: Creamy Salmon And Scallop Chowder

School may be back in session, but it's still technically summer. And summer means it's seafood season. But your love of shellfish and salmon shouldn't be limited to lobster rolls and poke bowls. Allow us to present to you a creamy salmon and scallop chowder that tastes just like vacation — even if you're very much at home.

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It doesn't take too long to make this cream-based soup. It's the perfect meal that you can prep in advance and finish cooking whenever you need a quick dinner. Start your meal prep on Sunday by making the soup base first. The combination of chopped veggies and stock will stay good in your fridge for up to four days — just don't add in the cream, salmon, scallops, corn and spinach. When you're ready to make the chowder, reheat the base and then add in the rest of the ingredients. Doing this will make a chowder that rivals any oceanside seafood shack in about 20 minutes.

If you want to take your soup to the next level, learn how to make your own stock at home. Not only will this help you save money on groceries, but it'll also result in a tastier, fresher stock where you can control the quality of ingredients. You should always keep stock in the freezer so that it will be ready for whenever you make this chowder or any other soup.

This creamy fish chowder is best served with a few slices of bread or oyster crackers and your favorite hot sauce for an extra kick. But you can always add other seasonings like Old Bay to fit your preference. If you're loving this chowder recipe, then you might want to think about adding one of these hearty soups and stews to your dinner rotation.

Creamy Fish Chowder with Bacon, Corn and Spinach

Ingredients:

• 1 small (3 ounces) leek, split lengthwise, rinsed

• 2 thick slices bacon, diced (about 2 ounces)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 medium (6 ounces total) yellow-skin potatoes, diced

• 1 small white onion, diced

• 1 large carrot, peeled, diced

• 1 small serrano pepper, halved, seeded, minced

• 1 quart (32 ounces) seafood stock or chicken broth

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup frozen corn kernels

• 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

• Salt, freshly ground pepper

• 12 ounces salmon fillet, skinned, cut into ¾-inch pieces

• 1 pound bay scallops, rinsed

• 1 small bunch fresh spinach, stems trimmed, well rinsed, roughly chopped, about 2 to 3 loosely packed cups

• Chopped fresh chives

• Hot red-pepper sauce

Directions:

Step 1: Remove most of the dark green section of the leek and save for other use. Dice the white and light green portion.

Step 2: Put leek, 2 slices diced bacon, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 diced potatoes, diced onion, diced carrot and minced serrano into a large saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Do not brown.

Step 3: Stir in 1 quart seafood stock and 1 cup water. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring often, 20 minutes. (Base can be made several days in advance; refrigerate covered and reheat before continuing to step 4.)

Step 4: Stir in 1 cup corn and 1 cup cream. Simmer over low heat, 5 minutes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir in 12 ounces salmon and 1 pound bay scallops. Simmer, 2 minutes.

Step 5: Stir in small bunch spinach. Simmer until salmon almost flakes, about 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Step 6: Garnish with fresh chives. Serve right away with warm bread or oyster crackers. Pass the hot sauce.