A delicate milk-based Finnish summer soup brimming with the season's first new potatoes, baby carrots, green peas, and fresh herbs, a celebration of the Nordic short summer.
Allergen Warning
Contains: gluten, dairy
Equipment needed
stovetop, pot
Cut new potatoes in half, slice carrots, break cauliflower into small florets, and trim green beans.
Bring 500ml of lightly salted water to a boil and add potatoes and carrots first as they take longest.
After 5 minutes, add cauliflower and green beans. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
Add peas and spinach, cooking for just 2 more minutes to keep them bright.
In a small bowl, mix butter and flour into a paste (beurre manie) and whisk small pieces into the soup to thicken.
Pour in the milk and heat gently until the soup is creamy and just warmed through. Do not boil.
Season with salt and white pepper, then stir in fresh chopped parsley.
Serve warm with a pat of butter floating on top and fresh bread on the side.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Do not freeze as the milk base and tender vegetables suffer. Best made fresh with the most seasonal vegetables available. Reheat gently without boiling.
Cultural Context
Kesakeitto celebrates the achingly brief Finnish summer when fresh local vegetables finally arrive after the long winter. Made with the season's very first new potatoes and peas, it is a joyful declaration that summer has arrived.