Salmon Broth: A Deliciously Hearty Soup

When The Ploughman’s Lunch and The Miser’s Feast, by Brian Yarvin, and published by Harvard Common Press, showed up on my door I immediately sat down and proceeded to flip through every single page. I had preordered this cookbook and was so excited it had finally come! I mentally cataloged recipes I wanted to come back to. There were so many to choose from. Everything from lamb stews, to beef wellington, curries, and of course fish and chips. So, for my first recipe I settled on this hearty salmon soup. I made it one rainy night and it really hit the spot.

The book gives so much background, history, and information on the food as well as the recipes. For the soup I made, it noted that it’s name, Salmon Broth, might be misleading to some who considered a broth. Its certainly not broth as many might think of, but apparently there is a custom of some Scottish soups being called broths.

Salmon Broth

Ingredients:

• 1 pound salmon fillet, skin removed and cut into 1-inch squares
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 teaspoon chopped for garnish
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup peeled pearl onions (I only had regular onions, so I just chopped roughly)
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped potato
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

• Combine the salmon, thyme, parsley, chives, and water in a large soup pot over high heat. Bring to a boil and let boil uncovered for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the salmon is opaque.
• Add the onions, carrot, potato, butter, and cream and simmer uncovered, until the potatoes and carrots are tender and the liquid has been reduced about a quarter. Takes about 40 minutes.
• Add salt only if you feel its needed.
• Remove the sprigs of thyme and parsley, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

I didn’t realize until I added the cream (not sure where my head was! ) that this is totally a fish chowder. And it now has me wanting to try a clam chowder, something I’ve never done before! The salmon cooked up nicely in the soup, and the carrots and potatoes were literally cooked perfect. Not underdone and not too mushy either. This was the perfect dish for a rainy night in. But, it’s good any time of year, I think the fish makes it a great summer dish!