This is a proper meal, rather than just a wishy-washy soup, with lots of big chunks of lovely smoked fish. Try to buy naturally smoked fish, not the fluorescent yellow stuff. Leave the bacon out for pescatarians like Kaye.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, cut into lardons (optional)
- knob of unsalted butter
- 3 leeks, washed and chopped
- 326 g can sweetcorn
- 3 unpeeled potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
- 1 pint (600 ml) whole milk
- 7 fl oz (200 ml) hot fish stock
- 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) skinless smoked haddock fillet, cut into 4 cm (1½ in) chunks
How to Make It
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the bacon (if using) until lovely and brown. Set aside.
- Add the butter to the pan, throw in the leeks, and reduce the heat.
- Cook slowly for 8–10 minutes until softened but not browned. Remove 1 tbsp of the leeks from the pan and set aside. Tip in the sweetcorn.
- Return half the bacon (if using) to the pan and add the potatoes. Pour in half the milk and all the stock. Bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8–12 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked but not falling apart.
- Meanwhile, cook the haddock in the remaining milk in another pan – preferably a sauté pan or a deep frying pan – by bringing it up to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.
- When the fish is cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Pour the haddock milk into the saucepan with the potatoes in, and heat through for just a minute or so for the flavours to blend.
- Remove half the chowder and blitz in a food processor until smooth.
- Return the puréed chowder to the pan with the rest of the mixture and put it back over a very gentle heat, stirring very gently from time to time until warmed through.
- Flake in the haddock, keeping the pieces on the chunky side. Serve in warmed bowls with the reserved leeks and lardons (if using) sprinkled on top.
