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Chowder, or fish soup is heart warming
food at this time of year. Served steaming hot with brown
bread, crusty rolls or garlic bread it is ideal for lunch
or supper. A good chowder doesn’t have to include
elaborate ingredients but it is worthwhile using fish
stock to enhance the flavour. The base is usually a selection
of vegetables softened in butter with chunks of fish or
shellfish added. Delicate white fish like whiting will
add texture to the soup, whereas firmer fish like pollock
and rock salmon will keep their original shape. There
are few set rules when making chowders so experiment with
different combinations of fish, shellfish and vegetables. |
Fisherman’s Soup
For four servings melt a knob of butter in a heavy based
saucepan.
Add 1 chopped onion, thin strips of 2 carrots, 2 sticks
celery, 1 leek and 2 diced potatoes.
Sweat vegetables for a few minutes before adding 900ml
/ 11⁄2 pints of fish stock and 300ml / 1⁄2
pint of milk. Season.
Bring to the boil and simmer until vegetables soften.
Skin, remove bones and cube 450g/1lb white fish –
Cod, Pollock, Rock Salmon and add to vegetable base.
Continue to cook for 10 minutes.
Garnish with chopped parsley or croutons.
Potato and Pollock Chowder
Cook potato and leek in fish stock. Blend. Add milk and
chunks of white firm fish like pollock.
Smoked Fish and Corn Chowder
Sauté streaky bacon, add onion, carrots and potato.
Add stock and cook until vegetables soften. Add sweetcorn
and strips of smoked fish.
Cream of Smoked Salmon Soup
Infuse trimmings of smoked salmon in stock for 15 minutes.
Add milk and tomato purée. Blend, correct consistency
and finish with cream. Garnish with slivers of smoked
salmon.
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