Fish Chowder
This Fish Chowder is the ultimate comfort food and extremely tasty, the perfect balance of smokiness and texture from chunky potatoes and flakey haddock. I like to serve it with fresh warm rye or sourdough bread and ladle it into bowls for an easy delicious wholesome meal.
Fish is often referred to as brain food, especially salmon as it contains the fat omega 3. It is recommended that we eat fish 2-3 times a week. It provides good quality protein and high levels of vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin B12 and iodine. Iodine is especially important for those who have had breast cancer and is a mineral which is lacking in many plant foods nowadays due to depletion in the soil. Salmon is a very good source of omega 3.
OMEGA 3: They may help lower the risk of heart disease, depression, dementia, and arthritis. Your body can’t make them. You have to eat them or take supplements. (1)
PROTEIN: Protein is also a critical part of the processes that fuel your energy and carry oxygen throughout your body in your blood. It also helps make antibodies that fight off infections and illnesses and helps keep cells healthy and create new ones. (2)
B VITAMINS: As the building blocks of a healthy body, B vitamins have a direct impact on your energy levels, brain function, and cell metabolism. (3)
IODINE: Iodine is a trace mineral that’s generally found in seafood. It’s an essential micronutrient, which means that your body needs it to function properly. (4)
Leeks and onions are part of the allium family and contain sulphurous compounds which are highly anti-cancer. Celery contains numerous antioxidants and phytonutrients, all of which are anti-inflammatory and thus anti-cancer. It is also rich in vitamins A, K and C and the minerals potassium, sodium, folate, magnesium and iron. For added nutrients use sweet potatoes as opposed to ordinary potatoes.
Get the Recipe
Fish Chowder
Serves: 6
Total time: 55 MINS
Time to create: prep time: 15 MINS cook time: 40 MINS
Time for personal effort:
Notes: GF, DF, Ve, NF, SS
EQUIPMENT
Large Saucepan
INGREDIENTS
1 tbs of rapeseed oil
3 Celery legs
1 med Onion
1 large leek chopped into slices
1 large potato
1 Butternut squash – roughly chopped into 2cm cubes
1 tin Sweetcorn (drained > 150g) or 2 fresh corn on the cobs
3 cloves Garlic
1 x 400 g Haddock fillet, skin off, de-boned, from sustainable sources.
1 x 200 g Salmon fillet
3 Fresh bay leaves
3 sprigs Fresh thyme
1 litre Organic stock of choice – fish/veg
150 ml Single cream
METHOD
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Trim and finely slice the leek, onion and celery, add to the pan and stir.
- Scrub the potato, and chop into 2cm chunks, run under a tap until the water runs clear to destarch them. De skin the squash and chop to a matching size and add both to the pan when the onions are golden in colour, and the leeks are touching brown, then mix well to stop things from sticking. Keep an eye on the pan, stirring often for around 8 – 10 mins.
- Add the sweetcorn, by slicing it raw from the cob, or directly from the tins, to the pan and mix through. Finely chop and add in the garlic too.
- De-skin and chunkily, chop the fish to approx 2cm.
- Make a little space in the middle of the pan for the fish. Add the haddock and salmon with 3 bay leaves and the leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme.
- Create the stock, add to the pan, stir in and then put the lid on and cook for 15 mins on a medium heat to reduce a little.
- Check on the chowder, give a good stir and season to taste, at this point the fish should be flaking and smelling delicious. Put the lid back on and turn the heat down to low.
- Turn off the heat and add the cream and stir well just before service, check the temperature and warm if needed. At this point I like to put a fresh wholegrain ciabatta in the oven to warm through.
- Take the chowder off the heat. You can leave it coarse and chunky, or use a potato masher to mash it up a little bit and make it silky – it’s up to you. I like to keep it chunky and hearty.
- Take the bread out of the oven, ladle the chowder into bowls and enjoy.
Add smoked Cajun – a tsps
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