There’s something very comforting about soup. We all know it as a winter dish, fully capable of warming you up from the inside out. Thick, hearty soups to put some color in your cheeks and spring in your step on a cold winter morning. But fish soups can be a bit different, like this Cod Soup. It’s filling enough to be a meal in itself, and delicate enough to be appropriate for a hot summer day.
What Is Cod Soup?
Cod soup is a versatile dish using codfish as the main ingredient. There are many different types of cod soup, ranging from the creamy chowders of North America, to the tomato-based fish stews of the European Mediterranean, to the Brazilian moqueca with shrimp and coconut milk. There are also plenty of cod soup recipes that use salted cod, bacalao, in which the preserved fish is rehydrated before being cooked in liquid.
My recipe here uses Scandinavia as its inspiration, with cod, potatoes, green beans and lots of fresh herbs. The portions given here are for an appetizer, but you could easily increase them by around 50 percent to make it into a main dish.
Ingredients for Scandinavian Cod Soup
The first, most important thing is to make sure you’re buying sustainably fished cod. North Atlantic cod in particular has been historically overfished and stocks are still recovering. But there are many responsible fisheries that are strictly controlled, from which you can buy cod. Look out for the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) label to be sure.
The remaining ingredients are all about adding bulk and flavor. Potatoes and beans to thicken the soup and fill you up. Capers and herbs add depth and fragrance. Feel free to switch out the herbs for your favorites – chervil, parsley, tarragon, or any of the soft herbs will work in this recipe. And finally, dill pickles and lemons for acidity and piquancy, to lift the soup. Make sure you have a good fish stock as well – this will make a large difference to the quality of the end dish.
Cooking Cod Soup
This is as easy as pie. Easier, actually! There’s no browning of ingredients, or complicated techniques. You just simmer the ingredients in the stock. The trick is in adding them in the correct order so everything has the chance to cook through and nothing gets overcooked. The potatoes and the beans take the longest time to cook, so let’s start with those. Then, once they are almost tender, we add the cod with the dill pickles and capers. The fish should cook through in just a few minutes. The chives and dill don’t need to be cooked, just for the heat of the soup to release their fragrance. They are stirred in right at the end, after the flame is turned off, as you season the soup to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Storing Cod Soup
Like all fish, cod is best eaten as fresh as possible, and can overcook very quickly. This soup comes together very quickly in the pot. Making it in advance and reheating is possible, but it won’t get you the best results, and won’t save you a lot of time, either.
However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in the refrigerator to eat the following day. The soup is actually very good cold as well. So if it’s a hot day, I suggest that you eat the leftovers chilled for a refreshing summer soup.
And More…
Looking for more soup recipes? Try one of these:
- Creamy Finnish Salmon Soup
- Easy Vichysoisse
- Miso Soup with Mushroom
- Creamy Green Onion Soup
- Chicken Florentine Soup
Conclusion
Looking for your next summer appetizer? Look no further. Scandinavian style Cod Soup is satisfying and delicious, fragrant with herbs and capers, and just as delicious cold or hot. Get your favorite fresh herbs, some sustainable cod and a few veggies, and give it a try. Let me know in the comments what you think.
Ingredients
- 1 medium potato peeled
- 1 cup green beans trimmed and cut into short lengths
- 3 cups fish stock
- 9 oz cod fillet, skinned cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 dill pickles diced
- 1 tbsp capers rinsed and drained
- 1 bunch dill roughly chopped
- 1 bunch chives roughly chopped
- 1 lemon juice, to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the potatoes, beans and fish stock to a saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are just tender.
- Add the cod pieces, dill pickles, and capers. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes until the fish is cooked through.
- Stir through the chopped fresh herbs and season to taste, with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve hot or cold.
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