Smoked Haddock and Leek Chowder
A rich, warming soup of flaked smoked haddock, tender allotment leeks, and diced potatoes in a creamy milk broth.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 410 kcal
Equipment
- •large saucepan
- •wooden spoon
- •slotted spoon
- •chopping board
- •fine sieve
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- fat
- 21 g
- carbs
- 28 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 29 g
- calories
- 410 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the smoked haddock, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a saucepan, then pour over the milk.
- 2
Heat gently on the hob until simmering, then poach for 5 minutes until the fish flakes easily.
- 3
Lift the haddock onto a plate using a slotted spoon and strain the warm milk through a sieve into a jug.
- 4
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- 5
Add the sliced leeks and cook gently for 8 minutes until soft and translucent without colouring.
- 6
Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour flavour.
- 7
Gradually pour in the strained poaching milk, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
- 8
Add the diced potatoes, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 12 minutes until fork-tender.
- 9
Flake the cooked haddock into generous chunks, discarding the skin and any remaining bones.
- 10
Stir the flaked fish, double cream, and chopped parsley into the pan.
- 11
Heat gently for 2 minutes until hot throughout, season with black pepper, and serve.
Chef's tips
Choose naturally smoked, undyed haddock with a pale creamy hue rather than bright yellow for the best clean flavour. Avoid boiling the chowder vigorously once the milk, cream, and fish are added, as this can split the dairy or break the fish chunks apart. Taste before adding any extra salt, as smoked haddock is naturally quite salty.
Ingredient substitutions
- plain flour → cornflour (mix 1 tbsp with cold water and stir in with the potatoes for gluten-free)
- undyed smoked haddock fillets → smoked cod fillets
- double cream → creme fraiche or single cream
Storage
Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat slowly in a saucepan over low heat on the hob, stirring gently until piping hot without boiling.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the soup after adding the dairy, which causes the cream and milk to split.
- •Failing to wash sliced leeks thoroughly, leaving grit in the finished chowder.
- •Adding salt before tasting, which can make the soup unpalatably salty due to the cured fish.
Serving suggestions
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