Our love of smoked salmon knows no boundaries: We pile it onto toast for breakfast, flake it into mayonnaise for a sandwich and enjoy it for dinner with a side of asparagus and potatoes.

In cooler weather, we often simmer smoked salmon oh so briefly in a milky broth with leeks and potatoes for a warm, comforting supper. With spring on the horizon, a touch of fresh dill and a scoop of tender green peas help this chowder transition the seasons.

We regularly mail-order tinned ocean-caught sockeye salmon, smoked over Alaskan alder wood, from Captain Jim’s www.captainjimssalmon.com. This delicious, smoky, firm fish flakes nicely and brings back memories of our Alaskan trip during the height of salmon season.

Softer, hot-smoked salmon, such as the sustainably raised Atlantic salmon from the Honey Smoked Fish Company out of Denver, lends a lovely hickory flavor to the chowder. Look for packaged filets in the refrigerator section of large supermarkets. Note, that chowder is not the place for nova lox or thin sliced Scottish smoked salmon; save these for eating on open-face sandwiches.

Of course, fresh salmon, cooked on a smoky grill, or under the heat of a broiler, works well here too. When using fresh salmon, add a couple of pinches of smoked paprika to the chowder.

To keep things from getting too fishy, use a combination of chicken broth and seafood broth (or bottled clam juice). Low-sodium broths are a good idea as smoked salmon can lend a salty flavor to the soup.

Serve the chowder in warmed bowls. Pass a vinegary hot red pepper sauce — the vinegar cuts the richness and perks up the vegetables. Crusty garlic bread or thick slices of sourdough bread will help soak up every drop.

Smoked Salmon and Veggie Chowder

Makes 6 servings

Note: Make this extra smoky by using bacon drippings for the vegetable sauteing.

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