16/08/2026
[Homemade] Nordic fish soup with cod, mussels and langoustine broth
Pan-seared cod, mussels and crab-and-shrimp cakes in a creamy saffron and fennel soup. The broth is made from roasted langoustine shells, reduced white wine and cognac, then finished with cream, lemon and dill oil.
A lot of people asked for the recipe, so here is my method. I normally make this in restaurant-sized batches and season by taste, so this is the technique rather than an exact gram-by-gram recipe.
Shellfish stock
I use equal parts langoustine and lobster shells. Toss them lightly with olive oil and roast at 220°C / 425°F for 20 minutes.
Remove the tray, spread tomato paste over the shells, and roast for another 20 minutes.
Transfer everything to a pot and cover with cold water. Add leek, celery , white onion, carrot and fennel. Bring it slowly to a bare simmer and avoid a rolling boil, which can make the stock cloudy and extract harsher flavours from the shells.
do not blend the shells; the stock is already intensely flavoured.
The soup
Slowly sauté carrot, fennel, leek, white onion and celery until completely soft.
Add tomato paste and cook it properly until the raw acidity disappears and it becomes darker and sweeter.
Add cognac. Either flambé it or allow the alcohol to evaporate completely. Add white wine and reduce slightly.
Bloom the saffron in hot water for about 10 minutes, then add it to the vegetables.
Pour in the prepared shellfish stock and cook very gently for another 50–60 minutes.
When the vegetables are completely soft, add a handful of cooked rice and blend everything until very smooth. Only the vegetables and rice are blended — never the shells.
Return the soup to low heat and finish with cream, fresh lemon juice, cayenne pepper and salt.
I serve it with pan-seared cod, mussels, crab-and-shrimp cakes and dill oil.
If anyone wants it, I can also write out the crab-and-shrimp cake recipe separately.
![[Homemade] Nordic fish soup with cod, mussels and langoustine brothPan-seared cod, mussels and crab-and-shrimp cakes in ...](https://img5.glartent.com/248/414/972825152484141.jpg)
