[Recipe] I'm in the mood for chowder

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Smoked haddock, bacon and mussel chowder

Ingredients
6-8 rashers good quality smoked streaky bacon, cut into strips
450g un-dyed smoked haddock, skinned, pin-boned and cut in to bite-sized pieces
900g potatoes (floury), peeled and cut into 2cm/cubes
450g mussels, cleaned, steamed in white wine and shelled
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
85g unsalted butter
290ml full-fat milk
splash of double cream
water
mussel liquor, strained
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced and finely grated zest

Method
1. Sweat the bacon, onions, potatoes and carrots in butter in a large heavy bottom casserole pan on a moderate temperature, until the vegetables become translucent.
2. Add the mussel liquor, water and a pinch of sea salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the haddock and poach together for 15 minutes.
3. Gently, add the milk and cream and stir until smooth. Add the lemon juice and zest and taste for seasoning. To finish, add the mussels, black pepper and flatleaf parsley.

Chunky Seafood chowder

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
110g streaky bacon, rind removed, cut into 5mm in dice
175-225g onions, chopped
25g flour
850ml homemade fish stock or, if no fish stock, water
425ml milk
bouquet garni made up of 6 parsley stalks, 2 sprigs of thyme and 1 bay leaf
6 medium-sized potatoes cut into 5mm in dice.
salt and freshly ground pepper
pinch of mace
pinch of cayenne pepper
700g haddock, monkfish, cod or other firm white fish (or a mixture), free of bones and skin
150ml single cream
450gmixed cooked shellfish – mussels, clams, scallops, shrimps or prawns and the cooking liquor.

To garnish
freshly chopped parsley and chives

To serve
Crusty bread and butter

Method

1. Heat the oil in a stainless-steel saucepan and brown the bacon well until it is crisp and golden.
2. Add the onion, cover and sweat for a few minutes over a low heat.
3. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the fish stock or water gradually.
5. Add the milk, bouquet garni and potatoes.
6. Season well with salt, pepper, mace and cayenne.
7. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked, approximately 5-6 minutes.
8. The chowder may be prepared ahead to this point.
9. Cut the fish into 2.5cm /1in cubes.
10. Add to the pot as soon as the tip of a knife will go through a potato.
11. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, stir in the cream and add the shellfish.
12. Add any liquor obtained from opening the mussels or clams.
13. When boiling, remove from the heat.
14. Taste, correct the seasoning and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and chives.
15. Serve in a deep dish with plenty of bread and butter.

Tip: Remember that the fish will continue to cook in the heat of the chowder so make sure it is not overcooked.