The Great Alone: A Novel by Kristin Hannah
Mini Summary: In 1974, thirteen year old Leni and her mother Cora move to Alaska with Leni’s father, Ernt, a Vietnam Veteran. The landscape is beautiful and generous but unforgiving in its extremes. The struggles are amplified by Ernt and his volatility.
Survival in layers, dawning reality, and second chances were the themes that outshone all others for me in this read. The Great Alone is one of those books that may mean something totally different to another reader, but in my mental place in time, these were it’s messages for me.
It was a hard read, depressing and infuriating. I felt simultaneously trapped and terrified with Cora and Leni and then exasperated that for years they just stayed. This seems to be more a reflection of my mental movement in and out of a well-crafted presentation of abuse and how it feels on the inside and then perceived from without. Alaska captivated me with it’s rich plenty and wild offerings, but then later I would feel so small in the relentless grasp of nature. Kristin Hannah, in short, is masterful in pulling the reader into the story, building paper walls of a log cabin, an unhinged man, and the expanse of an untamed world.
I just couldn’t see any way around a creamy salmon chowder to commemorate this book. But I admit I didn’t try to see a way around it. This chowder full of delicate chunks of salmon, tender potatoes, and bright vegetables is just waiting to be made! And if you’re feeling ambitious, bake up a loaf of sourdough, too.
Salmon Chowder
Course: Dinner, SoupCuisine: Alaskan, North American, Seafood6
big bowls10
minutes1
hour5
minutesIngredients
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped parsley, 3/4 inch dice
2 cups chopped carrots, 3/4 inch dice
1/3 lb bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter, see note 2
1/4 cup flour (35 grams), see note 2
1 lb potatoes, chopped, 3/4 inch dice
2-3 cups chicken stock
1 8 oz jar clam juice
3/4 cup cream, see note 1
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup frozen sweet peas
1 1/2 lbs fresh wild salmon, pin bones removed (I use tweezers), skinned, chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat up a large dutch oven on medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Scoop out the bacon onto a a paper towel lined plate. Set aside the bacon.
- Turn the stove down to medium low heat. Pour all but about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease into a jar and save the grease for another use. In the pot with the bacon grease that’s left, add the butter then the carrots, onions, and celery. Saute the mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot mix) for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. This should bring out their natural sweetness.
- Dust the vegetables in the pot with the flour and stir for a few minutes. Pour 1 cup of broth over the vegetables, then using a flat edged utensil (like a wooden spatula) scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck bits.
- Add 1 more cup of stock, the clam juice, and the potatoes. Bring the chowder to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Add the peas, cream, and milk. If the chowder seems like it needs a little thinning, add more broth, 1/4 cup at a time, until it’s to your liking. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the stew to a boil once more, then turn off the heat. Add the raw salmon into the pot, give it a quick stir, and lid the pot for 3-5 minutes. The residual heat from the chowder will cook the salmon and preserve its delicate moisture.
- Toss in the parsley, dill, and bacon. Give the chowder a final gentle stir, then serve up and dig in with a thick slice of crusty bread.
Notes
- Note 1: If you’re looking to really get the cream-bomb-of-a-chowdah, feel free to replace the milk with cream.
- Note 2: This is a medium thick base, meaning the broth has body but isn’t super thick. If you’re wanting something sturdier, increase the butter and flour each by 2 tablespoons and continue with the recipe as written.