Clodagh McKenna’s Smoked Haddock Chowder
Clodagh’s got a dish that’s set to fight off the autumn chills. Creamy and delicious, you can’t go wrong with a classic chowder! Flaky, melt in the mouth smoked haddock is the star of the show and ensures that this recipe is a level up from your everyday soup. Clodagh serves the dish with thyme scones for an extra dose of comfort.
Smoked Haddock Chowder
Serves: 6
Ingredients
50g butter1 onion, finely diced1 leek, finely sliced2 garlic cloves, crushed2 stalks of celery, finely sliced100ml dry white wine500ml fish stock300ml milk300g potatoes, peeled and diced1kg un-dyed smoked haddock, skin removed and cut into small chunks250ml single cream2 tablespoons fresh dill, choppedSea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Set a saucepan over a medium heat and melt the butter.
2. Stir in the onion, leek and garlic. Reduce the heat, cover and leave to sweat for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the wine. Return the pan to the heat and cook for a further 3–4 minutes. Pour in the stock, milk and potatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the haddock and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add the cream, fresh dill and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
Thyme Scones
Makes 8 scones
Ingredients
110g wholemeal flour110g plain white flour1 tsp bicarbonate of soda1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely choppedPinch of sea salt175ml (5 fl oz) milk50ml (2 fl oz) plain yogurt Extra milk or yogurt for glazing
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400oF/Gas Mark 6.
2. Sieve the flours, and add the bicarbonate of soda, fresh thyme and sea salt into a bowl. Mix together well.
3. Whisk the milk and yogurt together. Make a well in the centre of the flour and gradually pour the liquid into the well, using your hand to mix the flour into the liquid, try and spread your fingers far apart so it resembles a trough. Make sure that there are no dry patches and that the dough is completely wet.
4. Pat your hands with flour and shape the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of 1 cm (1/2 an inch). Cut into circles with a pastry cutter or form into a large circle then use a knife to cut partially through the dough to make 8 wedges.
5. Place the scones on a floured baking tray and brush with a little of the liquid (milk/yogurt) on top to give a golden colour once baked.
6. Bake the individual scones for 12–15 minutes, or about 20 minutes for the larger one. Transfer to a cooling rack for 5 minutes before serving.