A delicious, creamy but light fish chowder with salty smoky bacon and packed with vegetables and goodness. Ready in less than half an hour, this weeknight dinner is cheap and easy to make.
- 2 tbsp coconut or olive oil
- 3-4 rashers of (ideally nitrate-free) back bacon, chopped into small pieces
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 leeks, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp wholemeal flour or arrowroot
- 1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock
- 1 large white potato (or 1 turnip or 1 swede), diced into small cubes
- 1 courgette (zucchini), diced
- 4 fillets of fresh or frozen defrosted cod or other white fish (I use basic frozen pollock fillets)
- 250 ml (1 cup) milk
- 50 g (1/4 cup) grated Cheddar or other hard cheese
- 150 g (1 cup) frozen peas
- large handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
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Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large deep frying pan over medium heat and fry the bacon for 1-2 mins until cooked and just crisping up. Set the bacon bits aside and add the other tbsp of oil to the pan. Throw in the diced onion and leeks and fry for 3-4 mins until softened, then stir through the flour and cook for 30 secs before pouring in the stock. Add the potato, courgette and fish and bring the chowder to the boil. Simmer for 8-10 mins, until the fish and veg is cooked through. Pour in the milk, cheese and peas and cook for another 2 mins, then sprinkle with parsley and serve on its own or with crusty bread and a side salad.