Fish chowder the Bergen's way

Another delicious fish chowder was on the menu today.
A recipe I got from folks here is based on potatoes, onion and fish.
I like some more vegetables in my chowder and added carrots and celery, (and/or leeks).
That's more like the Norwegian "Bergen's Fiskesuppe" (fish soup from Bergen).

First, sautée onion and bacon in butter until the onions are turning yellow. Ca 3 min.

Add diced carrot, celery and potatoes. Fill up with some water and simmer until potatoes are nearly done. Season with salt and herbs. Ca 10 min.

Add warm milk and pieces of fish and, continue to simmer until the fish is done (ca 10 min). Thicken the soup with corn starch if desired.

Voilà!

Ingredients: (for 4 pers)


1 pound white fish (cod, haddock, hake, etc.), cubed
2 chopped medium onions
tiny bit of chopped garlic (or more if desired)
4 cubed potatoes
butter
water
milk or light cream
2 bay leaves
fresh thyme (used dried)
a few black peppercorns (used ground black pepper)
nutmeg
salt
chopped chives
corn starch for thickening
1 carrot, diced
1 celery, diced
1/2 cup bacon, bits
parsley

Vegetable Soup with Haddock

The week comes to an end and so does the supply in my pantry and fridge. There is one single potato, some leftover vegetables and one filet of haddock.  Maybe enough for a soup.
1 haddock filet, 1 big potato and 1/4 rutabaga in cubes, 1 carrot (sliced), 1 onion (diced), 1 stalk of celery (sliced). Boil in 2 cups of vegetable broth (instant) until potatoes are nearly done. Season with salt, pepper, Tabasco, 1 tsp Tumeric and dill. 10 minutes before serving set the heat to LOW and add the fish (cubed). J.P. was sad that there were not more than two helpings. So simple, so good.

Vegetables and Haddock

Gemüseeintopf mit Fisch
Die Woche geht zu Ende und so auch der Inhalt in meiner Speisekammer und im Kühlschrank. Ich finde nur noch eine einsame Kartoffel, ein paar Gemüsereste und ein Schellfischfilet. Vielleicht ist das ja genug für einen Eintopf.
200 g Schellfischfilet, 1 große Kartoffel, 1/4 Steckrübe, 1 Karotte, 1 Stange Bleichsellerie und 1 Zwiebel. Alles in Würfel oder Scheiben schneiden und mit 500 ml Gemüsebrühe (instant) zum Kochen bringen. Mit Salz, Pfeffer, Tabasco, 1 Teel. Tumeric (Safranersatz)  und Dill würzen. 10 Minuten vor dem Servieren auf niedrigste Hitze stellen und den Fisch dazugeben. Ziehen lassen. J.P war hätte gerne mehr als zwei Teller davon gegessen, aber leider war der Topf leer. Muß ich mir merken. So einfach und so gut.

Betasuppe med Hyse
Weekenden nærmer seg og det blir tomt i kjøleskapet mitt. Jeg finner en ensom potet, noe grønnsaker og en hysefilet. Kanskje det er nok for en god suppe.
1 hyse filet, 1 stor potet, 1/4 kålrot, 1 gulrot, 1 stilk selleri og en løk. Skjær alt i terninger og kok med 500 ml kraft. Smak til med salt, pepper, Tabasko og 1 ts tumerik (gurkemeie). Når poteter er ferdig kokt, ca 10 minutter før serveringen, sett varmen på lavt og tilføy fiskebitene. J.P likte det svært godt og det ble ingenting tilovers. Så enkelt å lage og så godt.

Bacalao - The Easy Way

  

 This dish we learned to love in Norway. 

There we used dried, salted cod that had to be watered out for about 1 night before preparing the dish. But here in Canada I just take fresh or frozen fish. It is easier to make and tastes good too.

(This is for 4 persons)
Peel 4 potatoes and slice or cut into cubes. Boil them for about 15 min., then drain the water.
Cut 1 pound fish (or 2 filets) into small pieces. (Haddock or Pollock) 
Open 1 big can of diced tomatoes and 1 small can of tomato sauce. Slice 1 onion into rings, and mince 1 wedge of garlic. Fry onion and garlic in 3 tbsp olive oil, add tomato sauce and fry a bit more before adding 1/2 of the diced tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, sugar and Tabasco. 

10 minutes before serving add the fish and the potatoes in layers. Pour over the other half of the tomatoes and let it simmer on low heat for about 10 more minutes or until the fish is done. Don't stir!
Serve with fresh french bread. (If you like it add some sour creme too).

Bacalao - The Easy Way

Bacalao - Fisch in Tomatensoße
Dieses Gericht lernten wir in Norwegen zu schätzen. Dort wird es allerdings mit Stockfisch gekocht, der zuerst eine Nacht über ausgewässert werden muß. Hier in Kanada nehme ich frischen oder gefrorenen Fisch. Das geht viel schneller und schmeckt auch.
Für 4 Personen
4 Karotffeln schälen und in Würfel oder Scheiben schneiden. Ca 15 Minuten kochen, abgießen.
Den Fisch (500 g Köhlerfisch oder Schellfisch), oder 2 Filets, in kleine Stücke schneiden oder würfeln.
1 Zwiebel in Scheiben schneiden, 1 Knoblauchzehe fein würfeln. Beides in 3 Eßl Öl anbraten.  1 kl Dose Tomatenmark dazu geben. 1 große Dose Tomatenwürfel öffnen und die Hälfte mit in den Topf geben. Mit Salz, Pfeffer, Paprika, Zucker, Tabasko würzen. 10 Minuten vor dem Servieren die Kartoffelwürfel und den Fisch lagenweise in die Tomatensoße legen und den Rest der Tomaten auffüllen. Bei niedriger Hitze köcheln lassen bis der Fisch gar ist.  Dabei nicht mehr umrühren! Dazu frisches Baguette servieren. (Man kann auch etwas Creme Fraiche hinzufügen).

Bacalao - en enkel måte å lage den på.
Vi spiste denne retten for første gang mens vi bodde i Norge og vi brukte tørrfisk. Jeg likte det veldig godt men har senere brukt fersk eller frossen fisk istedenfor. Det går mye raskere på denne måten og smaker godt også.
Oppskrift for 4 personer:
Skrell 4 poteter og skjær dem i terninger eller skiver. Kokes så i 15 minutter før vannet slåes ut. Sjær 500 g fisk, eller 2 filets, i små biter eller terninger. Her i Kanada bruker jeg hyse eller torsk. 
Skjær en løk i skiver og 1 båt hvitløk i små biter. Begge freses i 3 ss matolje. Tilføy 1 boks tomatsaus. Åpen en boks med hermetiske tomatbiter og hell halvparten in i gryten. Tilsmak med salt, pepper, paprika, sukker og Tabasco. 10 minutter før serveringen tilsett fiskebitenen og potetene i lagvis. Fyll opp med resten av tomater. Kok på lav varme inntil fisken er ferdig. Serveres med fransk brød. (Om man liker tilføy litt surkrem). 

Haddock Filets, Carrots and Peas

Haddock Filets, Carrots and Peas

The typical situation occurs. I am sitting on the couch enjoying a new book about gardening when my dear husband plops on the sofa opposite and -
drops the dreaded question - "what do we have for dinner tonight?" ARRGH.
He just had his coffee and some cake. Now, how can it be that his mind is focused on eating again?
My reply a standard as well: "I have no idea."
He remembers some frozen haddock in the fridge. "Make something with that. Let's have fish today."


Sigh. Well, then. Haddock filet it will be.


What do we have else? Carrots and frozen peas, and - I think your is guess right: POTATOES.

Carrots, Peas and Haddock filets

Remove 5 haddock filets from the freezer and drop them into water to melt.
Bring potatoes to a boil. They are my timer for the rest.

Chop 3 carrots in slices, add 2 cups of frozen peas and set all to steam them in a bit of water. Slice an onion and mince a boat of garlic.
Heat a dollop of butter and a tbsp olive oil in a pan and fry the onion and the minced garlic. Take the haddock out of the water and dry with kitchen paper.
Season with salt, lemon pepper and fresh ground black pepper.
Add into the pan and fry on low heat for about 10 min.
Since the fish was frozen I get a nice fish fond in the pan. Adding juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/4 cup of whipping cream.

Haddock filets and onion rings

Somehow the sauce was not as it should be. My eyes scan the kitchen and stop on a bottle of white wine.
I contained about 1 glass of wine - the leftover from another dinner.
That's what is missing. Pour 1 glass of white wine into the pan and thicken the sauce with 1 tbsp of starch.


The knife test shows that my potatoes are ready. Drain the carrots and peas - they should nearly be steamed dry by now.

Strawberry Kiwi Mousse

Dessert: there is some strawberry/kiwi mousse left in the freezer. That will do.


I'll let you know how I made that when I have to make a new batch.
Dinner is ready.
Remark:
How to avoid the weeping when working on an onion? People tend to bend over the onion while copping them. It works better when I keep the onion as far as possible away from me on the table. I guess the pungent air raises straight up and that way I keep my eyes out of the way. No weeping any more.

Schellfischfilets mit Erbsen und Möhrengemüse
Die gefrorenen Schellfischfilets zum Auftauen in etwas Wasser geben.
Die Kartoffeln zum Kochen aufsetzen. Möhren in Scheiben schneiden, 2 Tassen gefrorene Erbsen dazugeben und mit etwas Wasser gar dünsten.
Eine Zwiebel und eine Knoblauchzehe kleinschneiden, mit etwas Butter und 1 Tl Olivenöl anbraten. 
Die Schellfischfilets aus dem Wasser nehmen, mit Küchenpapier abtrocknen, mit Salz, Zitornenpfeffer, schwarzem Pfeffer würzen. 
Dann zu den Zwiebeln in die Pfanne geben und etwa 10 Min ziehen lassen. Den Fischsud mit Saft einer halben Zitrone, etwas Sahne und einem Glass trockenem Weißwein abschmecken. Eventuell mit Maisstärke andicken. 
Als Nachtisch: Erdbeer-Kiwi Mousse aus dem Gefrierfach. Das Rezept beschreibe ich euch ein anderes Mal.