When I was putting together my mother-in-law’s recipe for fish soup, I discovered that the author of one of the most-used books in my kitchen had died. Three years ago this month. Sharon Tyler Herbst, who wrote the Food Lover’s Companion (among many other food books), died in January 2007 after fighting ovarian cancer.
Ingredients
2 pounds (about 4 cups) fish (I use cod and salmon)
1 teaspoon salt
bottle of wine
2 tablespoon butter
2 cups carrots, finely sliced
2 cups leeks, finely sliced
2 tablespoon flour
4 1/2 cups broth from fish
1 1/2 cups crème fraîche (see recipe below)
2 cup shrimp
1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
Salt
Pepper
Put fish in water and 1 teaspoon salt. Heat just
until boiling and remove from heat.
With a slotted spoon, remove the fish from the
water and cut into small pieces. (Check for
bones.)
Open a bottle of wine and pour
yourself a glass. (Mine was
strawberry wine from Florida.)
Remove fish residue from water with a small
strainer or spoon.
Melt 2 tablespoon butter in bottom of a pot.
Add carrots and leeks and warm through.
Sprinkle flour over vegetables, then add fish
broth. Heat to boiling.
Stir in crème fraîche.
Place fish in soup with slotted spoon. Heat to
boiling, then add shrimp and dill. Salt and
pepper to taste.
Vær så god! ~ Bon appétit! ~ Dig in!
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Crème fraîche
I made my own crème fraîche, thanks to Sharon Tyler Herbst’s Food Lover’s Companion. I changed the amounts to 1 1/2 cups whipping cream and 3 tablespoons buttermilk. Here’s what she said: “This matured, thickened cream has a slightly tangy, nutty flavor and velvety rich texture. The thickness of crème fraîche can range from that of commercial sour cream to almost as solid as room-temperature margarine. In France, where crème fraîche is a specialty, the cream is unpasteurized and therefore contains the bacteria necessary to thicken it naturally. In America, where all commercial cream is pasteurized, the fermenting agents necessary fo crème fraîche can be obtained by adding buttermilk or sour cream. A very expensive American facsimile of crème fraîche is sold in some gourmet markets. The expense seems frivolous, however, when it’s so easy to make an equally delicious version at home. To do so, combine 1 cup whipping cream and 2 tablespoons buttermilk in a glass container. Cover and let stand at room temperature (about 70°F) from 8 to 24 hours, or until very thick. Stir well before covering and refrigerate up to 10 days.Crème fraîche is the ideal addition for sauces or soups because it can be boiled without curdling. It’s delicious spooned over fresh fruit or other desserts such as warm cobblers or puddings.”
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Without pictures
Ingredients
2 pounds (about 4 cups) fish (I use cod and salmon)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon butter
2 cups carrots, finely sliced
2 cups leeks, finely sliced
2 tablespoon flour
4 1/2 cups broth from fish
1 1/2 cups crème fraîche
2 cup shrimp
1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
Salt
Pepper
Put fish in water and 1 teaspoon salt. Heat just until boiling and remove from heat. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon from the water and cut into small pieces. (Check for bones.) Remove fish residue from water with a small strainer or spoon. Melt 2 tablespoon butter in bottom of a pot. Add carrots and leeks and warm through. Sprinkle flour over vegetables, then add fish broth. Heat to boiling. Stir in crème fraîche. Place fish in soup with slotted spoon. Heat to boiling, then add shrimp and dill. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.
Crème fraîche
Combine 1 1/2 cups whipping cream and 3 tablespoons buttermilk in a glass container. Cover and let stand at room temperature (about 70°F) from eight to 24 hours or until very thick. Stir well before covering, and refrigerate up to 10 days. (Source: Food Lover’s Companion by Sharon Tyler Herbst, 1995.)
I had to wait until I could feel my feet again before I posted this. We cleared the driveway, which I’m sure we’ll have to do again in the morning.
We even had to clear part of the highway. I don’t think the snowplows were out today, and I saw they weren’t being sent out tonight. That means the whole highway might be closed tomorrow.
The mail carrier surprised me. He actually tackled a good 2 feet of snow and a huge drift in front of our mailbox to deliver our mail. Thanks, Jerry!
We have lots more digging out in our future. And I hope the LP gas lasts throughout the winter because I don’t think we’ll see the tank until spring. It’s buried under a good 5 feet of snow drift.
And if this were a horror movie? This would be the point when the scary voice would whisper-shout, “Get out!”
I’m not sure I want to know. Unless the answer is “no more.”
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeelp meeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
This is a rat. Her name is Sarah. (Yes, by the girl who likes to be called Sarah when playing dress-up and pretending with her brother and sister.) It’s just about the cutest darn rat I’ve ever seen.
I got to meet Ilina in Chicago last summer. She’s always cooking up something tasty and tempting, and she celebrates 5:00 every Friday with a cocktail. And guess what? She let me kick off the new year with a guest post. Thanks, Ilina! Raising my glass and wishing you a happy New Year!
