Kesäkeitto
Summer in Finland can be a magical time, people seem happier, outside terraces are buzzing and local seasonal produce is celebrated. I actually rarely cook traditional Finnish food, however the current health situation and my holiday staycation, has given me more time to cook and to try out some Finnish summer recipes. Summer soup is fairly simple, but in its simplicity, the seasonal local vegetables truly become the star of the show.
I am not a summer soup expert, so I used Pumpkin Jam’s recipe and simply veganised it.
Finnish summer Soup – serves 4
12 new potatoes, scrubbed clean and halved if large
5 – 6 new season carrots, scrubbed clean and sliced into thickish pieces
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
2 spring onions, chopped
100 g sugar snap peas or podded fresh peas
1 litre of strong vegetable stock
3 tbsp vegan butter
2 tbsp flour
1 dl/ 100 ml white wine
2 dl/ 200 ml vegan cooking cream (I used Planti)
lemon zest, freshly ground white pepper and chopped dill to serve
Add the carrots and potatoes to a large pan and just cover with some of the vegetable stock. Bring to a low boil and cook for five minutes before adding the cauliflower and spring onion and cooking until the vegetables are just tender (around 10 minutes). Add a little more of the stock if necessary to cover all the vegetables while they are cooking.
Meanwhile in a separate small pan, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir continuously until well combined. Cook out the flour for a couple of minutes, but don’t allow it to brown. Add the wine, cream and any remaining stock and heat until it thickens and is lump free.
Once the vegetables are cooked, add the thickened cream mixture and the fresh peas and cook for a further minute. Check the seasoning and serve immediately with a good grating of white pepper (don’t use the powdered kind, it tastes completely different), a sprinkle of lemon zest and a scattering of fresh dill.
A Brit in Helsinki 