St George's Market Chowder
A rich, creamy Northern Irish seafood chowder packed with smoked haddock, fresh salmon, and shellfish, inspired by the weekend stalls of Belfast's St George's Market.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-based saucepan
- •Chopping board
- •Chef's knife
- •Wooden spoon
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 25 g
- carbs
- 26 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 38 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat on the hob.
- 2
Add the sliced leek and diced celery to the pan.
- 3
Cook gently for 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
- 4
Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- 5
Gradually pour in the warm fish stock and whole milk, stirring constantly until smooth.
- 6
Add the diced potatoes and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
- 7
Cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- 8
Add the smoked haddock, salmon chunks, and prawns to the simmering broth.
- 9
Simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes until the fish flakes easily and the prawns turn pink.
- 10
Pour in the double cream and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- 11
Stir in the chopped parsley and sliced scallions just before taking off the heat.
- 12
Ladle the steaming chowder into warmed bowls and serve immediately.
Chef's tips
Avoid boiling the chowder vigorously once the fish and cream are added, as high heat will break up the delicate fish chunks. Using undyed smoked haddock imparts a subtle, authentic smoky depth without turning the creamy broth artificial yellow.
Ingredient substitutions
- undyed smoked haddock → smoked cod or smoked pollock
- raw peeled prawns → cleaned fresh mussels or cockles in their shells
- double cream → single cream or extra whole milk for a lighter broth
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat on the hob, stirring occasionally without letting the soup boil.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling vigorously after adding seafood, which makes the fish rubbery and breaks it into small shreds.
- •Cutting potato cubes too large, which delays cooking and risks over-reducing the soup base.
- •Adding too much salt early on before tasting, as smoked fish naturally releases salt into the broth.
Serving suggestions
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