Smoked Fish Soup with Algae Pearls

Ingredients

Soup:

• 500 g smoked white fish (e.g. haddock, halibut), skinless and boneless
• 1 x fennel
• 2 x yellow onion
• 300 g celeriac
• 15 g lofoten seaweed fish & seafood spice blend
• 500 ml fish stock
• 1 l whole milk
• 50 ml heavy cream
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 75 g unsalted butter
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 20 g fresh dill, stalks and sprigs separated

Topping:

• 20 g fresh parsley
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tsp lofoten seaweed algae pearls

Method

1. Remove the fish from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.
2. Finely slice the onion and fennel, and cut the celeriac into 1cm cubes.
3. Melt the butter over a low heat in a frying pan for which you have a lid. Gently sweat the onions, fennel and dill stalks until soft but not coloured (approximately 10 minutes).
4. Add the Fish & Seafood spice blend and stir until the vegetables are coated.
5. Turn the heat up slightly, then add the white wine and simmer until the volume is reduced by half.
6. Add the fish stock and celeriac to the pan, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for around 20 minutes, or until the celeriac is soft.
7. In a separate pan, warm the milk to just below boiling, being careful not to let it boil over. Remove from the heat then immediately add the smoked fish. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow the fish to poach.
8. Gently remove the fish with a slotted spoon and leave it to rest on a warm plate while you make the soup.
9. Combine the milk, the cream and the soup base in a blender and blend until smooth. You can do this in batches if your blender is too small. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
10. At this point you can pass the soup through a sieve for a smoother consistency if you like.
11. To serve: divide the fish evenly between four warm bowls. Spoon a generous helping of soup over the fish, then drizzle with olive oil, scatter with the rest of the dill and parsley, and finish with a teaspoon of algae pearls.