Lohikeitto
Lohikeitto is eaten in Finland all year round and especially in winter. It is salmon, potatoes and leek cooked in a light broth, enriched with cream and buried under dill, with butter melting on top. It takes under forty minutes and forgives a lot — except one thing: the salmon goes in last and cooks only a few minutes, because overcooked it falls into dry fibres. The Finnish touch is allspice, which gives the soup a gently spiced note.
Your own work in that: 0 min.
- Preparation 10 min
- Cooking the vegetables 20 min
- Salmon and cream 10 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneCheck the salmon
Run your fingers over the fillet and pull out any pin bones with tweezers. Remove the skin if still on and cut the fish into 3 cm cubes.
Ingredients: 500 g skinless salmon fillet · 500 g potatoes · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs carrot · 30 g butter · 1000 ml water or fish stock · 5 pcs allspice berries · 1 pcs bay leaf · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 1 bunch dill · 1½ tsp salt · ¼ tsp white pepper
3 cm cubes — smaller ones fall apart.Soften the leek
Melt half the butter in a pot of at least 4 litres and cook the sliced leek for 5 minutes, until soft but not coloured.
Ingredients: 500 g skinless salmon fillet · 500 g potatoes · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs carrot · 30 g butter · 1000 ml water or fish stock · 5 pcs allspice berries · 1 pcs bay leaf · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 1 bunch dill · 1½ tsp salt · ¼ tsp white pepper
Add the vegetables
Add the potatoes cut into 2 cm cubes and the sliced carrot, pour in the water and add the allspice, bay leaf and a teaspoon of the salt (keep the rest for the end).
Ingredients: 500 g skinless salmon fillet · 500 g potatoes · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs carrot · 30 g butter · 1000 ml water or fish stock · 5 pcs allspice berries · 1 pcs bay leaf · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 1 bunch dill · 1½ tsp salt · ¼ tsp white pepper
Allspice is this soup's Finnish signature.Cook the vegetables
Bring to the boil and cook covered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
Ingredients: 500 g skinless salmon fillet · 500 g potatoes · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs carrot · 30 g butter · 1000 ml water or fish stock · 5 pcs allspice berries · 1 pcs bay leaf · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 1 bunch dill · 1½ tsp salt · ¼ tsp white pepper
Add the cream
Lower the heat, pour in the cream and warm through without letting it boil.
Ingredients: 500 g skinless salmon fillet · 500 g potatoes · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs carrot · 30 g butter · 1000 ml water or fish stock · 5 pcs allspice berries · 1 pcs bay leaf · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 1 bunch dill · 1½ tsp salt · ¼ tsp white pepper
Cook the salmon
Add the salmon cubes and poach gently for 4–5 minutes, until opaque through. Do not stir vigorously or the fish breaks up.
Ingredients: 500 g skinless salmon fillet · 500 g potatoes · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs carrot · 30 g butter · 1000 ml water or fish stock · 5 pcs allspice berries · 1 pcs bay leaf · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 1 bunch dill · 1½ tsp salt · ¼ tsp white pepper
Add the dill
Take the pot off the heat and stir in most of the chopped dill and the remaining butter.
Ingredients: 500 g skinless salmon fillet · 500 g potatoes · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs carrot · 30 g butter · 1000 ml water or fish stock · 5 pcs allspice berries · 1 pcs bay leaf · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 1 bunch dill · 1½ tsp salt · ¼ tsp white pepper
Dill at the end, off the heat.Season and serve
Season with the rest of the salt and with white pepper, and fish out the bay leaf and allspice. Ladle into bowls, scatter with the rest of the dill and serve with dark bread.
Ingredients: 500 g skinless salmon fillet · 500 g potatoes · 1 pcs leek · 1 pcs carrot · 30 g butter · 1000 ml water or fish stock · 5 pcs allspice berries · 1 pcs bay leaf · 200 ml whipping cream (30%) · 1 bunch dill · 1½ tsp salt · ¼ tsp white pepper
Before you start
Stock from trimmings
If you buy salmon in a piece, simmer the skin and bones with onion and allspice for 20 minutes and use that stock instead of water. The soup will taste more of fish.
Lighter version
Use single cream (12%) or milk instead of the 30% cream — about 490 kcal per serving — but then do not let the soup boil after adding the dairy or it will split.
Storage
It keeps 2 days in the fridge. Reheat gently without boiling. Do not freeze — potatoes and cream separate.
