Finnish Salmon Soup/Chowder

When you visit (or live) in the Nordic countries you can’t escape salmon recipes. Especially in Finland the traditional Salmon Soup is a cuisine staple. You can get it in restaurants or it can be served at a friend’s home. Warm and comforting with potatoes, carrots and big chunks of salmon in a cream based broth usually garnished with a lot of fresh dill. There are as many recipes as there are cooks with little nyances here and there.

While traditionally the soup only includes Salmon as the main protein this recipe is a bit more elevated and perhaps even bit more festive. It adds lucious elements such as saffron, shrimp and mussels. It is best served just out of the pot with some freshly baked bread.

I hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

You can also make this recipe as a traditional Salmon Soup, just leave out the additional seafood ingredients. One note in the category ‘I’ve made that mistake’, you will need to use heavy cream, light cream will curdle.

Makes about 6 servings as main entree.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lbs fresh salmon fillet with skin removed

1/2 lbs shrimp

about 18 mussels

2 medium onions diced

3 garlic cloves thinly sliced

2 medium carrots sliced

5 medium potatoes cubed small

3 tomatoes roughly diced

2 tbsp olive oil

a pinch of saffron

1 tsp fennelseeds

2 tsp dried thyme

salt to taste

freshly ground white and black peppers

6 cups water

3/4 cup dry white wine

2 vegetable bouillon cubes (or you can substitute the water with vegetable stock)

3/4 cup heavy cream

fresh thyme

fresh dill

STEPS:

1. Add the olive oil to a large pot. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions soften. Then add saffron, fennelseeds, and dried thyme and mix everything thoroughly. Then add carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, water and bouillon cubes (or vegetable stock), and wine. Bring to boil and simmer about 15 min or until the potatoes are almost done. You can prepare the soup in advance to this point if needed.

2. Cut the salmon fillet to bite size chunks and peel the shrimp.

3. Bring the soup back to boiling and add the cream. Add salt, white and black pepper to taste.

4. Add the salmon pieces and simmer, after about 5 min add the shrimp and simmer for another 5 min.

5. While the soup is simmering rinse (and brush if needed) the mussels. Add the mussels to the soup and simmer until they have opened.

6. Garnish with fresh thyme and dill and enjoy!