I love chowders, they are chunky and filling and delicious soups; perfect for a winters lunch or light main meal. When you have a chowder, serve it with plenty of crusty bread, smothered in real butter - the more chunky the bread the better. This recipe uses quite a large amount of potato, parsley and sweetcorn, all of which add to the rich flavours. I have used haddock in this recipe, but you could use any smoked white fish. If you are teetotal you can use grape juice instead of wine. The quantities shown in this recipe serve 4 as a light meal.

Ingredients

• 2 Bay leaves
• 650g Smoked haddock
• 25g Butter
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 250g Potatoes, diced
• 1 tbsp Flour
• 150ml Medium white wine
• 300ml Milk
• 120ml Single cream
• 300g Sweetcorn
• 4 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped

Method

1. Place the bay leaves and haddock into a saucepan and cover with boiling water.
2. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the fish begins to flake.
3. Remove the fish from the water.
4. In a separate pan, fry the onion and garlic in the butter for 5 minutes.
5. Boil the potatoes for 10 - 15 minutes in the fish stock.
6. Remove the onion from the heat and add the flour, stir well.
7. Add the wine and milk to the onion slowly and stir well, ensuring that the paste isn't lumpy.
8. Add the sweetcorn to the potatoes and boil for 5 minutes.
9. Add the milk to the wine sauce, stirring well.
10. Add the fish stock, potatoes, sweetcorn, bay leaves, and flaked fish to the soup.
11. Stir well and simmer for 5 minutes.
12. Divide into serving bowls and top with the cream and remaining parsley