By Donna Ross
This is a hearty lunch or a light dinner which, with turkey and stuffing filled Christmas lunches scattered through December, might come in handy over the festive season! I find I've usually got a jar of curry paste in the fridge but if you don't, a tablespoon of curry powder is a fine substitute.
Spicy haddock chowder
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon mild to medium curry paste (less if your paste is a very hot one!)
3 small carrots (approx 100g), peeled and chopped
1 large potato (approx 350g) peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
500ml stock (vegetable or chicken)
300ml milk
Kernels from 1 ear of corn or small tin of sweetcorn
300g smoked haddock
Handful of shredded greens (a head of Brussels tops, quarter of a small savoy, greens, kale or spinach) (optional)
Fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the curry paste and stir over a high heat to cook the paste. Add the carrot, potato, bay leaf, stock and milk and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potato and carrot are almost cooked, still a little bit firm in the centre. Add the corn and haddock. If you're adding some greens, add tougher ones now, or softer ones like spinach right at the end. Simmer for 10 minutes, and taste for seasoning. Smoked haddock varies in saltiness so you may not need to add much, if any, salt. Add more milk or stock if the soup seems too thick, and season to taste.