Even though Finland may be far, far away from the Mediterranean, this dish, which I demonstrated at a recent webinar on brain health, is nonetheless very much in keeping with Mediterranean diet principles, supplying healthy fats, vegetables, herbs, high-quality protein, and a broad range of micronutrients.
Best of all, it’s super-quick to prepare and oh-so comforting, making it ideal for anyone recovering from illness, as well as anybody who craving a bowlful of fragrant, warming comfort.
Finnish Salmon & Shrimp Chowder (Lohikeitto)
Servings: servings
Calories: 426kcal
A comforting, nutritious dish that's a cinch to prepare
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium leeks cut into 1-inch lengths and washed in a large bowl of water to rinse out any soil residue
- 1 stalk celery finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot finely cubed
- 10 oz firm-cooking potatoes cut into ½-inch cubes; I typically use Yukon Gold potatoes
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 4 cups chicken bone broth or fish stock, if you can find it
- 1 lb fresh salmon filet remove the skin and cut the fish into 1-inch cubes
- 8 oz raw shrimp (can be frozen) peeled (if you don't eat shrimp, increase salmon to 1½ lbs)
- ¾ cup heavy cream alternatively, you can use cashew cream; it's easy to make from scratch
- 1-2 tbsp potato starch to thicken the broth; use more or less, depending on how thick you like it
- a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce optional, but a great way to enhance the flavor of the soup if you're using chicken broth; my favorite brand is Red Boat
- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
- ½ cup fresh dill chopped; reserve a few larger fronds for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the leeks, celery, carrot, potatoes, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the leeks begin to soften.
- Add the chicken bone broth (or fish stock, whichever is used) and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are soft (pierce with a fork to test for doneness).
- Pour the cream into a small bowl and stir in the potato starch; mix until smooth. (If using cashew cream there's no need to add thickener as cashew cream thickens naturally when it is cooked.) Stir into the soup.
- Stir in the mustard, add the cubed salmon and shrimp, and bring back to a simmer. Cook until the salmon and shrimp are done, around 1-2 minutes. Gently stir in the chopped dill.
- Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and fish sauce (if using).
- Divide the soup among bowls. Garnish with reserved dill fronds and serve immediately. In a tightly sealed container, this keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.25cups | Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 1076mg | Potassium: 958mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3677IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 3mg