Chowder gratin
DESCRIPTION
Generous chunks of fish, sweetcorn and bacon in a creamy sauce, topped with a meaty crumb is the perfect way to warm the cockles on chilly days. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
INGREDIENTS
SERVES 4
FOR THE CHOWDER
20g butter
1 onion, sliced
300g fish pie mix
200g prawns
100g bacon lardons
2 Medium waxy potatoes e.g. desiree, peeled and cubed
200g tinned sweetcorn, drained
½ tsp cayenne
1 tbsp plain flour
200ml fish stock
30g Cornish clotted cream
Small bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
FOR THE CRUMB
150g stale bread
100g chorizo
METHOD
Heat the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat before adding the onion. Allow to sweet gently for 5 minutes, then push to one side and add the bacon lardons.
When the bacon is golden brown, add the plain flour and stir well. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes.
While stirring, pour the fish stock in and bring to a simmer. Add the cubed potatoes and cover for approx 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Add the sweetcorn, fish and seafood, before stirring through the clotted cream for richness. Add the cayenne to taste and season generously with salt and pepper. Simmer for a couple of minutes, then stir through half the chopped parsley and remove from the heat.
To make the crumb, blitz the bread and chorizo in a food processor until you have a fine crumb. Add seasoning to taste – depending on the saltiness of the chorizo.
Place a frying pan over a medium to high heat and add the breadcrumb mix. The chorizo contains all the oils needed to coat the breadcrumbs. Fry for 2-3 minutes until crisp and golden.
To serve, place the chowder into a serving bowl and spoon the crumb over the top. Serve with crusty bread.
