Lohikeitto (Creamy Salmon Soup)

I want more fish on the table and fewer fish-fillet standoffs, and a creamy soup where salmon turns up in soft pink chunks seems like the friendliest possible route. Lohikeitto is also a chance to learn a flavor I do not cook with: whole allspice in a savory, creamy context, which Finns treat as everyday seasoning and I treat as a pie spice. The method is nearly foolproof, the cost is one pound of salmon, and the whole thing is one pot. It is also the first Nordic dinner on our map, and I'd like a bowl of something that tastes like a lake in October.

• Salmon: Skinless fillet, cut into big chunks. Farmed Atlantic salmon is standard and affordable; frozen, thawed fillets are fine. Ask the fish counter for a tail piece, which is cheaper and works well in soup.
• Whole allspice berries: The quiet, warm note under the dill. Any supermarket spice aisle has them; use whole berries, not ground, so the flavor stays gentle. Six to eight is plenty.
• Fresh dill: Not optional and not dried. A big bunch goes in at the end, stems and all if they are tender.
• Leek: Traditional, and sweeter than onion in cream. Wash it well between the layers.
• Dark rye bread: German-style whole-grain rye or pumpernickel from the supermarket bread aisle is the closest easy match to Finnish ruisleipä; a sourdough rye from a bakery is even better.

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. Peel the carrots and cut into thick coins.
2. Trim the leek, slice the white and pale-green parts into half-moons, and rinse them well in a bowl of water to shed grit; lift them out and drain.
3. Cut the salmon into 1 1/2-inch chunks. Season lightly with salt and keep cold.
4. Chop the dill, reserving a few fronds for the top. Cut the lemon into wedges.
5. Count out the allspice berries so they can be fished out later, or put them in a tea infuser.

1. Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Add the leek and a pinch of salt and cook gently for 5 minutes, until softened but not browned.
2. Add the potatoes, carrots, broth, allspice and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook 12–15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
3. Pour in the cream and return to a gentle simmer. Taste and season with salt and pepper; the soup should be lightly savory, not bland, before the fish goes in.
4. Add the salmon chunks, stir once, and lower the heat so the soup barely simmers. Cook 4–5 minutes, until the salmon is just opaque and flakes when pressed. Do not boil, or the fish toughens and the cream can split.
5. Remove the bay leaf and the allspice if they are loose. Stir in most of the dill and let the soup rest, covered, for 3 minutes off the heat.

Ladle into warm bowls, making sure each gets a fair share of salmon, and top with the reserved dill and a grind of pepper. Pass the lemon wedges, the rye bread and a block of cold butter; a squeeze of lemon lifts the cream. This is a naturally mild soup, so there is no heat to hold back, but I expect the dill to be the one thing a child might question, and I'll go lighter on it in my son's bowl and let him add more. Leftovers keep two days in the refrigerator and should be reheated gently, never boiled; the soup does not freeze well once the cream is in.