Norwegian Fish Soup

Serves
serves 4-6
Time
35 minutes

MICHELLE HEIMERMAN

Published on September 19, 2016

Fiskesuppe, as it's called in Norwegian, can be found at nearly every restaurant on the Lofoten Islands of northern Norway. Local cooks sometimes swap out cod for other seasonal fish, such as salmon, or add accents like red pepper, chunks of bacon, or chive oil.

Featured in: The Shipwrecked Sailors & the Wandering Cod

Ingredients

For the chive oil

1 bunch chives
Pinch salt
¹⁄₂ cup olive oil

For the soup

1 tbsp. olive oil
4 large carrots, diced (1 1/4 cup)
2 yellow onions, chopped (2 1/4 cups)
2 celery stalks, diced
2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed
2 cups fish stock
¹⁄₃ cup dry white wine
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup crème fraîche, or more to taste
1 ¹⁄₂ lb. fresh cod, cut into 1-inch cubes
Bread, for serving (optional)
Chopped chives, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

Step 1

To make the chive oil, set a bowl of ice water next to the stove. In a medium saucepan of heavily salted boiling water, add the chives and cook until bright green, about 10 seconds; remove and transfer to the ice water.

Step 2

Squeeze out excess water from the chives, then coarsely chop. Transfer to a blender with a pinch of salt. Slowly stream in the oil, blending on high speed until smooth. Chill, then strain and reserve.

Step 3

To make the soup, in a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and celery; season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until mostly evaporated, about 6 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and let cook until the vegetables are al dente, 5–8 minutes. Add the cod and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, crème fraiche, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and bring the soup back to a simmer (for a thicker soup, add more crème fraiche to taste). Taste and adjust the salt as needed.

Step 4

Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with chive oil and serve with bread if desired.

To make the chive oil, set a bowl of ice water next to the stove. In a medium saucepan of heavily salted boiling water, add the chives and cook until bright green, about 10 seconds; remove and transfer to the ice water.
Squeeze out excess water from the chives, then coarsely chop. Transfer to a blender with a pinch of salt. Slowly stream in the oil, blending on high speed until smooth. Chill, then strain and reserve.
To make the soup, in a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and celery; season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until mostly evaporated, about 6 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and let cook until the vegetables are al dente, 5–8 minutes. Add the cod and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, crème fraiche, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and bring the soup back to a simmer (for a thicker soup, add more crème fraiche to taste). Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with chive oil and serve with bread if desired.