Lohikeitto

Finnish Fish Soup or 'Lohikeitto' as it's called in Finland is one of the most basic and traditional winter soups in Scandinavia.

This soup might also be referred to as Cream of Salmon Chowder of Cream of Salmon Soup. Salmon is an important product of Finland and is found in many traditional recipes from casseroles and pies to soups and breads. Lohikeitto is a milk or cream based soup with vegetables and salmon and is served with dark rye bread. Let's make some soup.

4 cups water

4 medium potatoes (peeled and diced)

2 medium onions (chopped)

1 teaspoon salt

6 whole pepper kernels

1 bay leaf

2 lbs skinless salmon fillet cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup whipping cream (optional)

minced dill weed (optional)

Cut salmon into 1-inch pieces, peel and dice the potatoes and chop the onions. Set aside.

In a soup pan or dutch oven, bring water to a boil and add the potatoes, onions, salt pepper and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer.

Cover and simmer until potatoes are almost tender. This will be about 10 minutes. The potatoes shouldn’t be fully cooked yet as you still have some cooking time left and you don’t want to over cook the potatoes.

Add the salmon pieces. Cover again and simmer until the fish flakes easily at the touch of a fork. This will be about 5 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and pepper.

Stir 1/2 cup of the soup stock into the whipping cream(optional). Gently stir cream mixture into the soup and heat.

Sprinkle with dill weed and add more salt and pepper to taste if needed.


For a lighter dish, substitute milk for cream.Fresh salmon is always better, but you can substitute a 15 oz can of salmon, deboned and skinned, if salmon is unavailable.Be careful not to overcook potatoes or salmon.

You can also use pickeral fillets or using 15 oz canned salmon, deboned and skinned, could be a substitute if fresh salmon is unavailable to you or cost prohibitive.

Enjoy~

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Dilly Salmon Burgers

These salmon burgers make for a dilly of a lunch! 

Create your own personal touches to these tasty dill-flavored burgers by adding crisp lettuce or sliced dill pickles.

1/2 cup mashed potatoes

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp dried dillweed

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 cans of red salmon (7 1/2 oz each), drained, skin and round bones removed

1 egg

1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1/2 tsp dried dillweed

cooking spray

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp tangy dill relish

4 hamburger buns

Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl.  Add salmon.  Mix well.  Dvide into 4 equal portions.  Shape into 3 inch patties.

Whisk egg in small shallow bowl.  Combine bread crumbs and dill in medium shallow dish.  Dip patties, 1 at a time, into egg. Press both sides of patties into crumb mixture and coated. Discard any remaining egg and crumb mixture.

Arrange patties on greased baking sheet.  Spray with cooking spray.  Broil on centre rack in oven for about 15 minutes until golden brown. 

Combine mayonnaise and relish in small cup.  Spread on one side of each bun.  Place 1 patty on each bun.  Makes 4 burgers.

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All-Purpose Coating

Consider this your go-to recipe when you simply want to shake then bake your meat.

 1 cup Crushed whole wheat squares cereal

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup ground almonds

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tbsp brown sugar, packed

1 tbsp paprika

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

Combine first 12 ingredients in medium bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil.  Stir well.  Store refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.  Makes about 2  1/2 cups

Measure 3/4 cup All-Purpose Coating  into small shallow bowl.  Spray cooking spray on both sides of 6 fresh (or frozen, thawed) haddock fillets (or other firm white fish).  Press both sides of fish into coating mixture until coated.  Arrange on greased baking sheet with sides. Spray fish with cooking spray.  Bake in 375 degrees F oven for about 15 minutes, turning at halftime, until crispy and fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

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Light Fish Chowder

1 cup chopped onions

1 tbsp butter

2 cups water

1 large potato, cubed

1/2 cup sliced carrots

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp thyme leaves

dash pepper

1 lb. fish fillets, cubed

2 cups milk

2 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt, if desired

chopped fresh parsely, if desired

dill, if desired

lemon wedges, if desired

In dutch oven or large saucepan, saute onions in butter until tender.  Add water, potato, carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme and pepper; bring to a  boil.   Cover; simmer about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in fish and 1   3/4 cups milk.  Stir flour into remaining 1/4 cup milk; stir into chowder.  Cook until fish is opaque and chowder is thoroughly heated.  Add salt.  Serve sprinkled with parsley, dill, and a squeeze of lemon.

Nutrition:

calories 330, protein 28 g, carbohydrate 26 g, fat 13 g, cholesterol 60 mg, dietary fiber 4 g, sodium 465 g, potassium 935 mg, calcium 20%, iron 5%, iron 8%

This post was modified from its original form on 16 Feb, 10:01  [ send green star]

3 tbsp butter

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 to 1 tsp onion salt

dash pepper

1/2 to 3/4 cup crushed cereal flakes, crackers or bread crumbs

1 lb. fish fillets

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  In 13 x 9 in baking dish, melt butter in oven.  In medium bowl, combine egg, water and lemon juice.  In shallow pan, combine flour, onon salt and pepper.  Coat fish fillets with flour mixture; dip in baking dish; turn to coat with melted butter.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 2o minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

4 servings.

~enjoy~

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Frances Edlin, wife of commercial fishermen Earl Edlin of Lagrange Lock and Dam, cleaned and scored carp and buffalo by hand for more than fifty years. It was not unusual for her to clean and score eighty pounds in one morning and deliver it to stores. Her hand scoring was much finer that machine scoring. Scoring cuts up the bones into tiny pieces that cook 'done' and can be eaten easily.

Fried Scored Carp or Buffalo

2 cups cornmeal
1 Tablespoon flour
Salt and pepper
oil or lard to fill an iron skillet to a one-inch depth.

Coat fish with dry mix of cornmeal and flour. Place in hot oil, scored side down. Fry until golden brown, then turn to fry other side golden brown.

Deep-fat Fried Scored Carp Recipe from the Approach Restaurant/Lounge of Meredosia, Illinois. This was a favorite dish of Mr. Anderson of the Island Gun Club.

Yield - 4 servings

Two carp/buffalo fish, fresh, scored, and halved
Milk
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
oil for frying

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