Arbroath smokie chowder

Nothing to making this soup, all you have to do is remember that you do not want to over cook the fish so poach it first and add it at the last minute to the soup. Another thing is if you cannot get hold of Arbroath smokie then you could just use smoked haddock just as long as you use natural smoked haddock. Do not use the bright yellow stuff, it will not give the same flavour and turn the soup a yellow colure.

You will need

325g/12oz Arbroath smokie or smoked haddock

1 lt/2pt water

1 onion

1 bay leaf

1 stick celery, diced

3 medium potatoes

55g/2oz butter

40g/1½oz flour

290ml/½ single cream

A little chopped parsley or chives

A pinch nutmeg

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Take your fish and place it in a pan and cover it with the water so it is completely covered then add the bay leaf and cover with a bit of greaseproof paper. Bring it up to the boil and then turn the heat of and let the fish sit in the pan for about 5 minutes then remove from the water. Place the fish to one side and keep the water from poaching the fish but discard the bay leaf. Once the fish has cooled a little you can flake the fish ready to be added to the soup at the end.

Now melt your butter in a pan with the onion and celery that you have diced very fine, d sauté in the melted butter until they are soft. Add the flour and cook that in to the onions and butter for about 3 or 4 minuets so that the flour cooks out. Now take your diced peeled potatoes and add them to the pot, the smaller you dice them the quicker they will cook and break down. It is best to use a floury potato rather than a hard waxy one.

Finally add the poaching liquid in to the cooking pot a little at a time letting the flour cook in to the liquid. Once you have added all of that let every thing come to the boil and then simmer so that the potatoes are fully cooked and just starting to break up in the soup.

To finish add the flaked fish and the cream, season with salt pepper and nutmeg and you are ready to serve. To garnish sprinkle some chopped parsley on the top.

A warming winter soup with a rich cream fish flavour.