Serves: 3-4 - Time:
This chowder is something that features regularly on my autumn/winter supper menu. It is a very flexible soup which can be adapted to fit in with whatever ingredients happen to be in the house. If there aren’t any leeks I’ll use an onion and often the potato will get swapped for diced celeriac. Obviously though, the smoked haddock and sweetcorn are non-negotiable. It is a hearty, filling bowlful so I would always eat this as a main course. As a rule I always prefer to buy undyed smoked haddock but we are living in challenging times so if the yellow fish is all that is on offer I won’t turn it down.
Ingredients
- 25g butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 leeks, trimmed, washed and finely sliced
- 1 stick celery, finely chopped
- 240g potato, about one large one, peeled and diced
- 75g cubed pancetta
- 900ml fish stock (cube is fine)
- 340g tin sweetcorn, drained
- 280g skinless smoked haddock fillet cut into 2cm pieces
- 3 tablespoons double cream
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Method
- Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan and add the leeks, celery and potato. Stir over a low to moderate heat for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft but not coloured. Add the pancetta and cook for a further 5-6 minutes.
- Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the sweetcorn and haddock and simmer gently for 5-6 minutes. Taste and season with stir in the cream and parsley and serve straight away.