Potato, Salmon and Lovage Soup with Gravlax and Fresh Dill

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pot as well as the chopped onion, chopped celery , chopped carrots , chopped lovage stalks and smashed garlic cloves . Sweat the vegetables for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the salmon bones and the bay leaves and continue to cook the bones and vegetables for 5 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine. Add the water, peppercorns, parsley stems, and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the broth is very flavorful. After 45 minutes, strain the stock and reserve for the soup. Discard the solids.

In a 6-quart stockpot set over a medium-high heat, add the remaining olive oil and cook the finely diced onion, celery and carrots for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and sweat for 30 seconds. Pour the stock over the vegetables, and add the potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook the soup for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to burst. Season the soup with the remaining salt, Essence and black pepper. Puree the soup using an immersion blender until smooth, and then add the cream and chopped lovage to the soup. Adjust the seasoning, and remove from the heat. To serve, ladle 1 cup of soup in a bowl and make a rosette with a slice of gravlax . Place the gravlax in the center of the soup, and sprinkle the dill around the rosette.

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.