Norwegian Salmon Soup (For Two)

This recipe showcases four delicious ingredients: dill, fennel, leeks, and salmon. 

• Dill is an herb in an herb in the celery family with a very unique taste. It pairs well with fresh, clean flavors like cucumber, mushrooms, potatoes, plain yogurt, fish, and chicken. If you can’t find fresh dill in stock, substitute with dry using 1 tsp of dry for 1 tbsp fresh. Dill is also packed with flavonoids, which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke (more on health benefits). 
• Fennel is a plant in the carrot family, which has a large bulb, green stalks, and feathery leaves. It has a strong anise or licorice smell, but when cooked the flavor is milder, giving just a hint with a fresh, simple flavor. If you can’t find fennel bulb in stock, you can substitute with white onion. Fennel is a good source of fiber and it may help maintain a healthy heart (more on health benefits).
• Leeks are an allium, related to garlic, chives, and onions. They are a long white stalk that turns into green leaf sheaths. Leeks have a sweet, mildly onion like flavor, which pairs well with potatoes, dairy, eggs, fish, and poultry. If you can’t find leeks in stock, you can substitute with green onions, white onions, or shallots. Like dill, leeks have flavonoids (antioxidants) which have anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anticancer properties (more on health benefits).
• Salmon is one of the most richly flavored and nutritious types of fish. It is packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and many vital nutrients, including selenium, phosphorus, and B vitamins (more on health benefits). There are two major types of salmon available, Alaskan and Atlantic. Alaskan salmon is caught wild and is not listed as endangered. Because it is wild, these fish feed on natural foods and therefore are not treated with man-made chemicals. We carry frozen Alaskan Salmon from Mongr.net, a local company. Atlantic salmon is always farmed, as the wild Atlantic salmon is very endangered. In general, we would not recommend farmed salmon because the food they’re raised on is often treated with chemicals and dyes, and farming methods are not always ethical. However, at the Co-op, we carry fresh fillets of Scottish salmon from Wester Ross, which are in a class of their own. As they put it, “We are RSPCA assured with a marine biologist on site and our salmon are hand-fed a high quality and sustainable fishmeal, developed specifically for Wester Ross. We use no antibiotics, growth promoters or GMOs. Our farms are medicine-free and with very low stocking densities (99% water, 1% fish) and a minimal handling at sea policy, we ensure a slowly grown and naturally healthy fish; time after time.” Read more about Wester Ross’s fish here.