Irish Fish Chowder

Irish Fish Chowder

A chowder is something between a soup and a stew. Loaded with different types of fish, this simple chowder recipe stands or falls on the freshness of the ingredients. Serve with traditional soda bread.

Ingredients for Irish Fish Chowder:

1 large potato

9oz - 250g un-dyed smoked haddock fillets, skin on

1 bay leaf

1 shallot, halved

22 fl. oz. - 650ml milk

1oz - 30g unsalted butter

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, sliced

5½ oz -150g sweetcorn kernels (thawed, if frozen)

handful runner beans, sliced

6 scallops, sliced

12 steamed clams

7 oz - 200g pollock fillet, diced

5½ oz - 150g raw king prawns

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

freshly ground black pepper

How to make Irish Fish Chowder:

Place the potato in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Cut the cooked potato into small pieces and set aside.

Place the smoked haddock, skin side up, in a pan with the bay leaf and shallot and cover with the milk. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes, then take off the heat and leave in the milk to finish cooking.

In a large pan, gently fry the onions in the butter until softened. Stir in the sliced garlic, cooked potato, sweetcorn, then add a handful of the sliced runner beans.

Lift the haddock out of the milk with a slotted spoon and place on a plate. Peel away the skin and tear into pieces. Strain the milk through a sieve into the onion potato mixture and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the cooked haddock, sliced scallops, steamed clams, pollock and the prawns and warm through, then stir in the parsley and season with lots of black pepper.

To serve, ladle the chowder into bowls and serve with thick slices of soda bread.