Seafood Chowder

I was never much of a fish eater when I was younger despite growing up in Sweden where “fish is king”. The north of Sweden is even famous for its Surströmming (fermented raw herring) – can you blame me for not liking fish???  I’ve realized later in life it’s because it was never cooked the right way! I can’t stand the ‘fishy’ taste and smell you get from fish that is not fresh (which is why I HATE any kind of caviar and roe). I’ve now learned how to cook fish in a way that suits me, as well as my husband, and this is one of those great recipes.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 100g streaky bacon, chopped
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 600ml stock (I tend to use chicken stock)
• 225g new potatoes, halved
• pinch of mace (nutmeg flower) – you can use nutmeg (sparingly) if you don’t have mace
• pinch of cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 300ml milk
• 320g fish pie mix (salmon, cod and smoked haddock)
• 4 tbsp single cream
• 250g cooked shellfish (whatever you can find)
• small bunch of parsley
• crusty bread to serve

Method:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, then add the onion and bacon. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the onion is soft and the bacon is cooked. Stir in the flour, then cook for a further 2 minutes.

Pour in the stock and bring up to a gentle simmer. Add the potatoes, cover, then simmer for 10-12 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through.

Add the mace, cayenne pepper and some seasoning. Then stir in the milk.

Tip the fish pie mix into the pan, gently simmer for 4 minutes. Add the cream and shellfish and the simmer for 1 more minute. Check seasoning.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve with some crusty bread.

Yummy! Particularly great during cold winter nights. Think I might make some later….