Smoked Haddock & Prawn Chowder

Lightly Spiced, Hearty & Healthy

When we were kids, yellow fish was a favourite winter tea. My mum would poach it in milk - do you remember when it used to come in a vacuum pack with a pat of butter shaped like a sun? I also have fond memories of kedgeree, the comforting combination of rice, boiled eggs, mild spices & smokey flakes of haddock with fresh green parsley. Recently smoked haddock gratin has been a big favourite - again I like to add a mild sweet curry powder to this dish, I will write that up and share it here one day soon - so many recipes, so little time!

For now here is a dish I have made twice in the last week - it’s so tasty and well suited to the grisly weather we are having at the moment. There are lots of ways that you can improvise around this recipe - start with chorizo instead of pancetta…add some sweet cherry tomatoes with the prawns and spinach at the end…add some butter or borlotti beans…

SMOKED HADDOCK & PRAWN CHOWDER - serves 4-6

700g smoked haddock

200g prawns

2 bay leaves

20g of butter or a tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 leek, halved lengthways & sliced

100g pancetta

1 teaspoon each - ground cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika

500g new potatoes, cut into equally sized pieces roughly 2cm square

500ml fish stock

200g spinach

150g petit pois

70ml single cream

Small bunch of coriander, leaves chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

• Put the haddock fillets in a pan that will comfortably accommodate them, cover with water, add the bay leaves and set on the hob, bring to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes, until the fillets are just cooked, remove from the water (keep the water) and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, remove the skin & bones and break into large flakes.

• Meanwhile….heat the butter or oil in a large pan and when hot add the onion, allow to cook for a couple of minutes before adding the pancetta. Cook for 5 minutes until both the pancetta & onion are taking on some colour before adding the leek & potatoes. Stir well and cook until the leek is soft - about 5 minutes - next add the spices, stir well & cook for a minute or two until the spices have become nicely aromatic.

• Add the reserved water from cooking the fish, the fish stock & some salt & pepper, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.

• After 10 minutes check that the potatoes are cooked before adding the prawns, peas & spinach. Bring back up to a simmer and after 2 minutes add the haddock, cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

• Finish with the cream & chopped coriander.