Recipe: Smoked Haddock Chowder

There’s something oh-so comforting about a bowl of smoked haddock chowder with all its creamy, buttery and nourishing goodness. Try this easy recipe for a satisfying midweek meal or warming weekend lunch.

Ingredients

• 25g butter
• 1 bunch of spring onions, sliced
• 500ml vegetable or fish stock
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5cm chunks,
• 2 smoked haddock fillets
• 400ml semi-skimmed milk
• 200g defrosted frozen or tinned sweetcorn
• 4 medium free-range eggs
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Pinch of sea salt flakes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Crushed water biscuits

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large pan set over a medium heat. Add the spring onions and cook for 10 minutes until softened. Stir in the plain flour and cook for a minute, then gradually add the vegetable or fish stock, stirring to prevent lumps.
2. Add the potato chunks, and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
3. Meanwhile, put the haddock fillets in a frying pan, skin-side up, cover with the semi-skimmed milk, then simmer for 6-8 minutes until the fish is cooked – it should be opaque and flake apart easily. Set aside on a plate, peel off the skin and flake into large chunks. Pour the poaching milk into the stock mixture with the sweetcorn, stirring over the heat to warm through.
4. Transfer half the mixture to a blender/food processor and whizz until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan and add the fish. Taste, season and keep warm.
5. Poach the eggs in a large pan of barely simmering water for 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, pound the fresh parsley in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of sea salt flakes, then stir in 3 tbsp olive oil. Divide the soup among 4 bowls, top each with a poached egg and some parsley oil, then serve sprinkled with crushed water biscuits and freshly ground black pepper.