Ok, I know it's not exactly soup weather yet, but one of my sons, Clark, just returned from a trip to Iceland and he was served this iconic soup there, called Fiskisupa, or fish soup, and wanted me to try my hand at making it. I'm always up for a culinary challenge, and this soup came together beautifully and with relative ease! Now as a disclaimer, I would not exactly say this soup is super healthy due to the fact that it has heavy cream in it, but aside from that, it is full of healthy goodness! It is full of tender pieces of perfectly cooked fish, leeks and potatoes. It is rich and creamy. I will be making this again when the weather turns cooler. It is a warm and comforting meal inspired by Clark's trip to Iceland!
This soup is simple and full of fresh ingredients....5 main ingredients to be exact. You can use whatever fish you choose, but a white fish is preferred. You can also use shrimp.
Clark shared his photos from his trip with us, and it made me want to visit Iceland too! The landscape was magical looking, with huge rock formations, mountains, seascapes, black sand beaches and waterfalls.... it looked like a place right out of a fairytale. The food was right up his alley, and warm bowls of this rich and creamy soup was served. I served it with toasty wheat bread and it was absolutely delicious!
Here is a tiny sample of the breathtaking photos Clark took in Iceland:
Here's what you need to make this delicious soup:
1.5 lbs cod, halibut, or other white fish cut in 1 inch chunks
2 T butter
1 T olive oil
1 leek, about 1 cup sliced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 medium onion diced
1 t salt
1/2 t curry powder
2 T tomato paste
32 ounces chicken stock
3/4 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup heavy cream whipped for garnish ( I told you it wasn't a "light dish!")
torn celery leaves to garnish
In a large pot, melt butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, and onion. Cook until soft and translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Add salt, curry powder, and tomato paste. Stir well, and let cook about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and potatoes. Cook about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. While this is cooking, whip the 1/4 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form, and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Add the fish and cook about 3-4 minutes until the fish is just done.....Do not overcook! Remove from heat, and slowly stir in the cup of heavy cream. To serve, fill a bowl with soup, and top with a spoonful of the whipped cream and a few torn celery leaves. Beautiful and comforting!! Thanks Clark for sharing this lovely soup with us!