Head over Tails…… for Fish

Hello folks – Diane here again, blogging for my fabulous husband on more of our quality time sharing good food and good times. We have written many times about our appreciation for slow food. A sort of resistance to the fast food movement, slow food means using quality locally harvested ingredients to make good healthy food from fresh ingredients. When the summer weather turns on us, and it isn’t exactly swimming and sunbathing time we like to indulge in some good home cooking, and a special kind of dinner we really only have time for on vacation. Sit in, when I explain about this dish:

Dinner is served!You have to understand that like many of you we have careers, and I am going to grad school besides my work, plus I am a wife and mother – so you know I usually in the same rat race as many other women. But still when I have time I love to make good quality food for my family. This time it was traditional Norwegian fish chowder, and my own twist on baked salmon. Norway is known for fish chowder, and the major fishing areas of Bergen and Lofoten compete in a friendly way of making the “official” Norwegian fish chowder. In reality there as many different recipes for this soup as there is cooks, and I never make it exactly the same way twice.

What really makes this soup fantastic is fresh summer ingredients. Summertime and fish go together for me, and we have a great chance to use the season’s first vegetables in our dish. Fresh onion still with the green stems on, new carrots and celery root, leeks and we even grow our own dill. Served of course beside the seasons freshest potatoes it is better then any restaurant can serve, made with the secret ingredient of love you know!

Heads Over Tails for Fish #1

It was my husband who taught me to make the fish base with fish heads, I thought it was a bit fishy you know – or actually quite gross, but after we did it a few times I found out that fish heads are irreplaceable to make the base and as long as we are killing the poor little salmon why not use the whole thing?? After all we shouldn’t waste anything. For a recipe which is much like the one I used click here.

Heads Over Tails for Fish #3 Heads Over Tails for Fish #5

Before and after baking in the own at 200C or 350F.

Note I did not make any ‘fish dumplings’ I just used cut up salmon and cod in the recipe, and I did not use red wine vinegar but instead used a half cup white wine (and we drank the rest beside the dinner!) Here is the chowder ready to eat:
Heads Over Tails for Fish #4

Although the fish chowder was what took the most time it was only the first course. For the main course we marinated salmon stakes in olive oil, white vinegar, white wine, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and a dash of chilli and baked it in the oven for about 20 minutes smothered in fresh vegetables and with fresh butter and lemon over the top…and I think there was a dash if white wine in there too… :P

Heads Over Tails for Fish #6

What is most valuable about this kind of dinner is the time you invest in making something good which blesses your family, the anticipation of smelling the good food in the kitchen and the quality time you spend eating it and savouring the fruits of your labours. Bon appetite!!

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