Salmon Chili

I really didn't expect so many people to ask me for this recipe.  I mean really!  Salmon and chili, in the same sentence?.   I expected to be met with more opposition.  Jayne Naze was the first person to suggest serving salmon in chili.  I tried it, liked it, tried it again and again and it was good.  She was right.  There is No reason salmon cannot be a great substitute for meat in chili.  Change it up as you like...but here is my recipe:

1 lb. Salmon (skinned, deboned, cut into cubes)
3 TBSP oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp. garlic chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped fine
14 oz. Green Chile (I use frozen, but in AK...you will need to buy canned and chop it)
2 TBSP Cumin
2 TBSP Mexican Oregano

2 cans of diced tomatoes
2 cans of chicken stock
1 can each of:
 white beans
white kidney beans
black beans
red kidney beans
soy beans
pinto beans

Additional can of white beans should be pureed in a food processor and added to thicken.

Boil 4 cups of water.  Add cubed salmon (yes, I try and take out all bones) and cook for 3 minutes.  Remove from water to drain.  In a stockpot with oil, cook onion, garlic, jalapeno and green chile until soft (about 4 minutes)  Add seasonings, tomatoes, stock, beans and let cook for about 40 minutes.  Add pureed white beans to thicken soup.  The only thing better than this is to marry this soup with my own Aunt Marcia's Cornbread.

Aunt Marcia's Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 C milk
1/4 C oil

Mix all of this together and bake at 425 in an oiled cast iron skillet for about 24 minutes.  OH MY!  This is not only the one and only best cornbread recipes you will ever make....but also the best comfort food crumbled up with milk before bedtime.  Thanks Aunt Marcia and Mom!