Seafood chowder
Seafood chowder is a must-have recipe for any keen, seafood-loving home cook, there are few factors to consider if you want to achieve the perfect pot of hearty chowder.
SERVES
6
PEOPLE
Ingredients
For the fish stock
275g fish bones (stomachs and heads removed)
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion sliced
1 stick of celery, sliced
1 small leek sliced
4 cloves garlic
½ tsp whole black peppercorns
3.5 litre water
For the soup
50g butter
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 large leek, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 pinch white pepper
4 gloves of garlic minced
100ml white wine
1.5 litre fish stock
500g diced potatoes
1 tbsp cornflour
1kg mussels
150g natural smoked haddock diced
200g hake diced
150ml cream
2 tbsp chopped soft herbs such as parsley, dill, chervil
Method
To make the fish stock heat a medium-sized pot on a moderate heat. Sweat the chopped leek, onion, celery, garlic, black peppercorns and fish bones in the rapeseed oil for 5 minutes.
Add 3.5 litres of cold water and simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, being careful not to allow the stock to come to the boil. Using a ladle skim the surface of the stock to remove any impurities and produce a clear stock.
After 30 minutes, strain the stock and discard the vegetables and bones. Set aside.
To make the chowder, put a large heavy-based pot on a medium heat and sweat the onion, leek and minced garlic in the butter and rapeseed oil for 10 minutes. Season with sea salt and a pinch of white pepper.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the white wine, bring to the boil and reduce until completely evaporated.
Add the fish stock and bring to the boil. Add the potatoes and reduce to a simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked and break apart when pressed with the back of a spoon but still holding their shape.
Dissolve the cornflour in 1 tbsp of cold water and add to the soup to thicken. Add the mussels to the pot, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and discard any mussels that haven’t opened.
Add the diced smoked haddock and hake and cook for 2 minutes until the fish flakes when pressed. Taste to correct seasoning and finish with cream and chopped herbs.
