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:
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!
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.
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:
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
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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Oh dear oh dear – you have learned so much from your dear husband. About trad Norwegian food.
‘I was brought up with heerings after the WW II – a fish that have been more or less “out of sales for years”.
Friday afternoon – what then but a shop that offered Heering fillets for NOK 48,- USD 3 per pound.
Result: Friday and Monday dinner…..
DianeCA
Yes I have Tor and glad I sometimes can share it with you too – I do remember the fish dinner we had when you where at our vacation home!
I think you and Renny are brought up the same way and I’ve learned to love herring too – I’m sure you had a great dinner both Friday and Monday:-)
YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO THIS HUNGRY MONSTER AT THIS TIME OF THE NIGHT!!!!!
I want that NOW…. My monster stomach is screaming loud… forcing me out in the kitchen for a raid after food… At this time!!!! *gigles*
I love Salmon. And I tasted Norwegian fish chowder for the first time this summer, another Norwegian that use to come to Fårö every summer cooked it for us. Delicious I might add, butt you already know that :-)
Yes, the fish head sounds like YUK, butt it’s exactly like when boiling meat to get the broth. It’s the main thing to get the best result – in both cases!
Oh, and I love the plates!!!! Thanks for sharing this excellent food post :-)
PS. Renny, the A-Team Cruiser button looks gooood, butt I’d prefer if you link it to just the domain name lifecruiser.com and not to that T13 post so people get the latest info :-)
DianeCA
Always good to read your comments, your outspoken woman *giggles*
I do agree and Norwegian salmon is the top of the cream and we have read your lovely report about it from Fårö!
Thanks, the plate is inherited from Rennys grandmother and their quite old.
I let Renny handle the button:-)
that looks really lovely and delicious, diane. i think i need to come to norway for some fish cooking lessons. i learned just a couple while in trinidad but i need some more since i have a young lady in the house who no longer eats red meat or poultry.
what a very good dinner u have there Mrs of Renny :)
Looks like renny had got lucky to have you… very yummy and healthy food.
DianeCA
Glad you liked it:)
I think so too and I feel Renny knows it too!
It sounds like a gourmet dinner! and it looks delicious too, I particularly like your description of the wonderful smell of great food !. yes , I think Ratatouille said so too: you have to cook with love!
DianeCA
Gourmet is the right word and I’m glad you noticed my description. Cooking with love is the most important ingredients you know!
i would definitely go for the head! i once dined at a Caribbean-inspired restaurant and offered me to have their sea bass head under the yogurt, and it was a blast. yummy.
i just finish my lunch and now i wanna eat again.
DianeCA
Renny loves the head too and says the tung taste delicious (I haven’t try). The meat from the head in the chowder was great though.
Hei Diane,
:) It really looks good. You made me hungry!
I just love fish! Actually, when I started travelling outside asia, I always wondered why fish head is not eaten. It is the best part, if you ask me.( There is a restaurant in the Philippines that serves only fish head. )
Regards to Renny!
DianeCA
Hei AL, good to see you, and glad you liked it!
The Asians and Norwegians has a lot in common then:)
when i saw the last picture, i really became hungry. hehehe.
renny is good in cooking? hehehe. and you’re right, fresh ingredients makes a great difference :)
DianeCA
Don’t blame you, the serving was excellent!
Together we are a smashing team you know hhehe and fresh ingredients is a must for the best result!
Thanks for making me so damn hungry! Now I’m starving like crazy! Kbai.
P.S. Impressive table setting you got there.
DianeCA
Your welcome – glad we could inspire you!
Thanks and it helps with nice china you know.
I adore salmon steaks and fillets…actually I love fish in all shapes and sizes, and fish chowder is rather delicious too. Yes, I use fish heads and the soup is not the same without them. My grandmother (who was Maori) taught me to make fish chowder when I was quite young.
I love your dinnerset, too, Diane. It’s beautiful.
Thank you for that delicious post…time to buy some fish and have a go at your recipe.
OMG, that looks yummy (and healthy)!
DianeCA
Thanks Sidney – Renny always shows me the lovely pics on your blog!!
I know what you mean Diane juggling work & family, still nothing beats cooking up a storm for your love ones :D
I’ll go head over heel with your fish too not forgetting the chowder…any room for me?
Have a nice day to you & Renny!
DianeCA
You’ got that right :D
Yes, please join us!
Wishing you a lovely week then!
My mouth is watering reading this, Diane. You must be a wonderful wonderful cook. I’m sure you put lots of love into it! :-)
DianeCA
Thanks for your compliments – yes, love has a lot to do with it :-)
Btw: Renny always shows me the lovely pics in your blog – thanks for sharing!
Wow, that’s a great food post, Diane! I love salmon! Now I just have to try making that fish chowder… Yum!!!
RennyBA
Thanks me – we are two of a kind! Good luck to you and keep us posted!
My mouth is watering :)
Were you able to get wild salmon?
RennyBA
This time it was farmed fish but there is a lot of wild fish in the ocean and of course in the famous rivers and waterfalls.
This meal looks so delicious, Diane…It made my mouth water…here at 2:30AM in the morning…LOL! Beautiful! Oh how I would love to have a meal cooked by you with all these fresh ingredients from your garden. It is so interesting….My father’s favorite part of a fish was always Fish Heads. AS a child, they were dirt poor and Fiszh Heads were practically thrown away at the market…so his mother could afford them….Till the day he died, that is what he wanted to eat when having fish!
DianeCA
Good to see you Naomi and thanks for the compliments.
We have no traditions for fish head in my American family but most everyone in Renny’s family loves it. It must be the heritage from the older generation who both knew how to and had to take care off all they could get – just like your father’s. Newer generations seams to like only processed and industrial produced meat; I wonder what would happened if they saw the original ingredients of a hamburger!
What is so fun about your post, Diane, is that you are sounding just like Renny. I love it! And those dishes (the food as well as what it’s served on) look fabulous! :)
DianeCA
Thanks, we are quite alike you know and often we discuss the articles before he post them. Thanks for noticing the dishes too – I just love them.
Oh, Diane, my husband would love this meal! Chowder and salmon is his favorite. He ate a lot in our visits to both coasts of Canada. Are you even more of a fish eater now than you were when you lived in the US?? I can’t see how you’d get along in Norway without liking fish..like me..sad to say!!
DianeCA
Renny have told me your husband loves it.
I’ve a much more of a fish eater now and and very happy about it – much more of a variety than I would think is available and fish is very healthy you know.
sounds so exciting and yummy! And yes I love this concept of slow food!!!! :) Slow food is not what is causing craziness in obesity! Fast food is… And the fact of instant gratification… I hate that because it’s everywhere in our lives…
Makes me miss Switzerland (I say that because I don’t know Norway) but they know that gratification is achieved over time!
DianeCA
I’m glad and you hit the nail on the head when it comes to slow food!
I think Swiss and Norway is very much the same – as a matter of fact, all over Europe.
It looks very healthy :)
Not a big fish eater, though, but I’m sure it’s tasteeee!
DianeCA
I know – Renny have told me and we will serve home made pizza and Norwegian beer when you and Gord are coming over:-)
You’re such an engaging writer Diane! x
DianeCA
Thanks for your compliments Missy – and for your post card too:-)
Hello again Renny! Thanks for the comment you left on my latest post in WP! But there is a newer one back at my Blogger page. I haven’t completed my move yet, still not happy with my WP design template. You can still visit me at Blogger, until I’ve announced the final move. :)
RennyBA
When you get used to it and figure out what you want, I’m sure you’ll move permanently soon. Keep me posted!
wow, that certainly looks very yummy! :)
“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.” —> i agree with you on this one. there’s nothing like cooking with fresh ingredients, even if it takes a long time. i’m not one for using instant ingredients, not even bouillons. :D
It looks so good diane! I will try this recipe next day! by us we cook fish on a bed of onion, potatoes slices, tomatoes. Over the fish with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs, citron slices, white wine! Potatoes absorb tomatoes juice… during the cooking. Thanks for this nice recipe Diane , i think i will buy fishes tomorrow!
DianeCA
Thanks Claudie and also for sharing your favorite – it sounds delicious!
Glad I could inspire you to a fish dinner this weekend!
Don’t forget to come to my cruise stop at the south East coast of the UK tomorrow!
RennyBA
Thanks for reminding me – I will!
Wow, these pictures are really cool! I love how you did them! I’m duly impressed. Don’t forget to come to my cruise in Maui starting August 25th! http://wackymom.blogspot.com
RennyBA
Thanks for your compliments and I’ll try to be over at the 25th.
Hi Diane,
The salmon looks simply delicious. That is a labour of love which I would love to do for my family too. :)
I love salmon and cod fish. But these fish are so expensive in Singapore. We import it from Norway. The salmon you use looks so fresh.
DianeCA
Hi EastcoastLife, great to see you. Renny have talked about you a lot:)
Thanks for your compliments and yea; it has to be done with passion you know.
Good to know you like salmon and cod too and of course Norwegians are the best. Sorry its so expensive and its not that cheap here either.
Whoever was responsible for buying that tableware sure had a good sense of taste. It’s so eye catching that i’ve had to look at it more than once and it doesn’t cease to make the food look more delicious. Intriguing for me because my tableware is so “perfect white” everywhere. I’d like to give this a whirl sometime. Fish is hard to come by in these parts, even when i was living on the coast in the city so it’s a good idea to try something different. I guess it’s the lifestyle we grew up in here which automatically doesn’t use enough fish as it should. What type of white wine was used for this dish? Seems like it would pair well together with the dinner.
DianeCA:
The tableware is a gift to Renny’s grandparents when they got married in the 20s.
Funny that you from down under asked about the wine as it was an Aussie Chardonnay white wine! Hope you get the chance to try for you and your family too!
Aussie Chardonay. hehehe. I shall see how things will pan out with Savignon Blanc ;) Cheers ;D
RennyBA
A good choice – please do and keep me posted – Skål ;D
Very interesting site, i have added it to my fovourites. Greetings