Smoked haddock chowder recipe
This recipe is one I have had for years. It was on a page torn from a magazine called Caledonia in 2000. Wow - where have the years gone? I don't cook it very often but it is one of those recipes that when I do make it I wonder why I don't have it more often. It is a bit like Cullen Skink, the Scottish smoked haddock soup, but more hearty. Served with some delicious bread it is a lovely winter meal. And one of the good things is that it tastes even better the next day. You can vary the vegetables depending on what you are wanting to use up, so it is a fairly environmentally friendly meal too!
Ingredients - Serves 2
- Two tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- One onion, finely chopped.
- Two potatoes, cut into small pieces.
- Two carrots, cut into small pieces.
- Half a red pepper.
- One leek.
- Half a large courgette (or one small one).
- One vegetable stock cube dissolved in 500ml of boiling water.
- Ground pepper to taste.
- A few pinches of saffron (optional).
- Smoked haddock fillets (about 220g)- try to get undyed, (not always easily available).
- 200ml of whole milk.
- Gently heat the oil in a saucepan.
- Add the chopped onion and fry for about 5 minutes until the onion has softened slightly, stirring regularly.
3. Add the chopped potato and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent them sticking to the pan.
4. Chop the pepper, leek and courgette into small pieces.
5. Add to the pan and stir well. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes.
10. Dissolve the stock cube in 500ml boiling water.
11. Add this stock to the pan and stir well.
12. Add the saffron (optional) and ground pepper.
13. Gradually bring all of the ingredients to the boil, stirring regularly.
14. Simmer gently for 25 - 30 minutes until the potato and carrot are tender.
15. Remove the skin from the fish and cut it into small pieces.
16. Add the fish to the pan and simmer gently for 5-10 minutes until the fish is just cooked.
16. Add 200ml of whole milk to the chowder and gently return to the boil. Don't over-boil as the milk might separate. (Yes I have done that!).
17. Serve and enjoy.
You can make the chowder up until stage 13 and add the fish and milk later to finish it off. Or even make it up completely the day before you want to eat it. The fish might break up a bit more but the flavours will have developed further.