creamy dairy free salmon chowder with celeriac and tarragon

I can't believe Christmas is over already!  The twinkling lights are already dwindling, shopping sales are in full swing, and New Years hype has begun. This year was a bittersweet sort of Christmas: my husband and I's last Christmas with just the two of us.  I'm always so sad when Christmas has passed; it is by far my favorite holiday! So before we jump into 2015, I have one more recipe to share: our Christmas Eve, dairy-free, salmon chowder with celeriac (a.k.a. celery root), parsnips, leeks, and tarragon.  

Christmas Eve dinners have become sort of an easy, throw-together meal in preparation for the food marathon the next day.  When I was younger, I don’t even think my parents cooked the night before Christmas, at least not that I can remember. I do remember we were allowed to leave Santa cookies, even though we ourselves weren’t allowed to eat them!  Now that its just my husband, our dog and I, we are beginning to make our own traditions, and a light seafood supper has become one of them.  Last year, we went over to my in-laws house with 25 of our closest family and friends.  For the occasion, I made a poached salmon nicoise salad and it was gobbled up quicker than I could guzzle down my spiked egg nog. 

This year, I kept with the seafood tradition and went with a creamy chowder: a celeriac, parsnip, and salmon chowder with tarragon.  I know this is a step outside of Love & Garnish’s veggies comfort zone, but by using cashew cream instead of heavy cream, we eliminate a lot of the unnecessary animal fat.  And you know what?! No one at the table even noticed that I used a dairy substitute instead of heavy cream!  The abundance of veggies in this chowder is no coincidence either.  I find the celeriac and parsnips add such a beautiful, bold flavor and texture, while the tarragon is a must with the salmon!  Serve this chowder with fresh rye or pumpernickel bread and a crisp fennel, grapefruit, pumpkin seed and spinach/arugula salad and your good to go for an easy dinner.  

Although my favorite holiday has passed, I am so excited to see what 2015 brings for our family and what the roles of "mum" and "dad" have in store for us.   As our smaller group of parents and siblings sat down for Christmas Eve dinner this year, special memories were made around this chowder.  I hope you find the same!

Happy New Year to you and yours! 

creamy, dairy-free salmon chowder with celeriac and tarragon

GROCERY LIST:

5 cups chopped leeks (approximately 2 large leeks)

1 cup diced carrots (approximately 2 carrots)

1 cup diced celery (approximately 2 celery stalks)

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

4 1/2 cups chopped celery root (approximatley 2 medium celery root)

2 cups chopped parsnips (approximately 4 parsnips)

4 cups clam juice 6 fresh thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

2 lbs salmon, bones and skin removed, cut into large chunks

1 1/2 cups cashew cream*

2 Tablespoons fresh tarragon, roughly chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped

juice from half a lemon

salt + pepper to taste

1 cup watercress, to garnish, optional

DIRECTIONS: In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add leeks, carrots, celery, and coconut oil. Heat over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add celery root, parsnips, clam juice, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover, and cook until vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add salmon, cashew cream, tarragon, and parsley. Simmer over low, being careful not to bring to a boil, until the salmon is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and season to taste. Garnish with fresh watercress and serve immediately.

*To make cashew cream, soak 2 cups raw cashews (can not be salted or roasted) with pure, filtered water overnight. In the morning, drain the cashews, rinse thoroughly under cold water, and transfer to a high-speed blender. Add just enough water to cover and blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add a pinch of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of maple syrup. If you are not using a high-speed blender like a Vita-Mix which creates an extra smooth cream, strain the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sieve. This will yield roughly 2 cups of cashew cream.

{ Recipe for cashew cream adapted from Tal Ronnen, "The Conscious Cook". Chowder Recipe Inspired by Diane Morgan, "Salmon". }