Justin Woods, head chef at The Castle Green Hotel, Kendal, and Greenhouse restaurant.

How do I make a scrumptious but healthy fish chowder?

Lizzie Blackmore, Lancaster

 

Lizzie...

To make enough chowder for four people, place 100g natural smoked haddock and 100g fresh haddock into a medium sized saucepan, cover with 500ml of skimmed milk, 250ml of vegetable stock, one sprig of thyme and one spring of rosemary. Bring the milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and allow to rest for 20 minutes. When cool, remove fish from pan, remove any skin and flake fish into small pieces. Pass the cooking liquid into a clean bowl. In another saucepan, gently fry 1 peeled and diced onion, 1 peeled and diced potato, 1 crushed clove of garlic and 1 stick of celery in a small amount of olive oil. When the vegetables are soft, add the reserved cooking liquor and cook for a further 15 minutes. Give the soup and quick mix with a hand blender and the add the reserved fish, a good sprinkling of prawns, sweet corn kernels, frozen peas and some chopped parsley. If the soup is too thick, let it down with a little more skimmed milk.