Bergensk Fiskesuppe Image Used Under Creative Commons License From ranja.livejournal.com
Citizens, today marks the final day of my 10-day trek across Europe, culminating in the annual and highly-secret meeting of the World Dictator Cabal, where many a missive related to world domination was debated and eventually voted on! Of course, we all feasted upon a wide range of TFD recipes, as is only appropriate!
You will see the results of our meeting soon – just keep reading the news and all will be made clear to you!
To celebrate the final day in Norway, I give you one of my favorite Norwegian recipes!
The famous fish soup from Bergen, on the West Coast of Norway, is consumed and loved all over the country.
Bergen fish soup is a sublime mix of cream, fish, and root vegetables that is uplifted with a touch of sugar and vinegar.
The trick with this soup is to taste as you go along to get the right balance of sweetness and sourness – there should be just a subtle sweet-and-sour taste to it.
My innovation to the recipe include adding an extra bite to the soup by using the vinegar from a bottle of horseradish as well as using leek in place of onion. I also add some monkfish to the soup as I enjoy both its lobster-like texture and flavor.
This is a fantastic chowder recipe beloved by all Norwegians – I hope you enjoy it as well, Citizens! 🙂
Battle on – The Generalissimo
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The Hirshon Norwegian Fish and Root Vegetable Chowder – Bergensk Fiskesuppe
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Total Time: 0 hours
Ingredients
- 6 tbs clarified butter
- 3 cups fish stock
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 carrots, diced into ½-inch cubes
- 4 medium new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 small celeriac, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 parsley root (or parsnip), diced into ½-inch cubes
- 2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced 1⁄4″ thick
- ⅔ pound cod fillet (skin and bones removed) cut into 1-inch cubes
- ⅔ pound monkfish tail cut into 1-inch cubes
- ⅓ pound fish dumplings – see below for recipe)
- 2 tbsp vinegar from a bottle of horseradish (to taste)
- 1 tbsp sugar (to taste)
- 1 ½ tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ⅓ cup dill, chopped, plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup parsley leaves, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
- A handful of minced chives to garnish
- ***
- For the fish dumplings (Fiskepudding):
- ***
- ⅓ lb cod fillet (skin and bones removed)
- 1 small egg
- 1 tbsp corn flour
- Salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the fish dumplings:
- Blitz all the ingredients in a food processer so that it forms a smooth paste then, using a spoon, form the mixture into small balls and add to the soup just after adding the fish – they should float gently on the surface of the soup.
- ***
- Heat butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, celery, leeks, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft, 8-10 minutes. Add carrots, parsnips, celeriac, potatoes, stock, milk, and Worcestershire; bring to a boil.
- Whisk the flour into the cream and add to the soup, and bring back to the boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
- Now, add the sugar and the vinegar gradually and taste to get the right balance between sweet and sour.
- Add fiskepudding/dumplings, then the fish and simmer until the fish is just cooked (around 6-7 minutes). With 2 minutes left, add dill and parsley.
- Season to taste with salt, freshly ground white pepper and sprinkle with some finely chopped chives.
- Serve with lots of crusty white bread to dunk in the soup.
