Mum's Recipe for Finnish Fish Soup (Kalakeitto)

INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg. of frozen Tilapia, Salmon, whatever your favorite fish

5-6 potatoes

1 onion

water

milk, half'n'half, or heavy cream

Knorr chicken bouillon

dried or fresh dill

dried or fresh parsley (optional)

salt & white pepper

butter or oil for sautéing 

Serve with a fresh-baked loaf of sourdough or Finnish rye bread with good butter.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-size pieces. Set them aside. Chop up the onion as fine as you like it. Get a large pot or a heavy duty dutch oven. Heat the butter or oil and sauté the onion in the large pot until tender (sprinkling a little salt on them helps the process along). 

Now add water, filling the pot up to about a third or half with water. Throw in the potatoes, add a couple of bouillon cubes, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium, cover the pot and cook the potatoes until tender. (Depending on the size of the potatoes but this will probably take about 10 minutes or so).

Time to add the frozen fish! (Thawed or fresh fish is fine, too). Most of the fish will break up on its own but you can break it up into smaller pieces once it's cooked. Add about a cup of milk, little less if using half'n'half and only about 1/4 - 1/3 cup if it's heavy cream. Add some white pepper and salt to taste (a light sprinkle of chipotle pepper would warm it up nicely). Add the dill (and parsley). Let simmer on low while you set the table and slice up the bread. Call the troops and ladle out the soup!