Viking Soup - A Favorite At Ivar's Since The 1950S

Kathy Macaulay of Woodinville requested the recipe for one of her favorites, the Viking Soup served at Ivar's Salmon House. The fish stock base is flavored with onion, celery and potato, then combined with morsels of cod, salmon, halibut and shrimp.

Steven Field, director of operations at Ivar's, said chef Einar Larson developed this recipe when he joined the restaurant organization more than 35 years ago, and it has remained a customer favorite.

By Request helps readers get recipes for dishes they have enjoyed at restaurants, and to locate recipes they have heard about or lost. Write to: By Request, c/o Food, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111.

Viking Soup

10 servings

Fish stock:

2-3 pounds fish bones

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 quarts water

1 large leek, white part only, coarsely chopped

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 bouquet garni (peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme and parsley tied into a piece of cheesecloth)

1/2 pound cod, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1/2 pound halibut, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1/2 pound salmon, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

Soup:

8 tablespoons butter

2 medium onions, peeled and finely diced

1 stalk celery, finely diced

1/2 cup flour

2 quarts fish stock

1 quart half-and-half, heated until hot

2-3 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 pound bay shrimp

1 pound white potatoes, cooked, peeled and finely diced

1/4 cup minced parsley

1. To prepare the stock: In a large saucepan or stock pot, combine the fish bones and wine. Cover and simmer 10 minutes over low heat. Add water, leek, onion and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 25-35 minutes.

2. Poach the cod, halibut and salmon, each separately, in the stock until fish can be flaked with a fork. Remove the fish from the stock and refrigerate. Strain the stock through cheesecloth and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. To prepare the soup: In a large pot melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and celery; saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes. Add the stock and cook until slightly thickened.

4. Stir in the half-and-half, salt and pepper. Stir in the fish, shrimp, potatoes and parsley. Adjust the seasonings and serve.

Data per serving Calories 411 Protein 24g Fat 24g Carbohydrates 23g Sodium 668mg Saturated fat 14g Monounsaturated fat 7g Polyunsaturated fat 2g Cholesterol 139mg