Salmon and Dill Pacific Chili

This is what chili looks like when it grows up in the Pacific Northwest instead of Texas. Cubes of wild Alaskan salmon go into a light, lemony tomato-and-white-bean base and poach gently until they're just cooked and flaking — finished, as any Northwest cook would, with a big handful of fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon. It's a world away from a heavy beef bowl: bright, clean, and almost spa-like, the kind of thing you'd eat on a cool coastal evening. The chile keeps a low profile here on purpose, letting the salmon and dill lead — think of it less as a fiery chili and more as a fresh Northwest fish stew that borrowed chili's format.

Crusty bread and a lemon wedge suit its brightness; a dollop of crème fraîche is lovely.

Use wild salmon if you can — it holds together better than farmed. Add the dill and lemon at the very end so they stay fresh. Halibut or cod work in salmon's place. Best eaten right away.