City Market Smoked Fish Chowder

Food and recipe styling Martin Bosley / Photography Amber-Jayne Bain

	80g unsalted butter
	1 medium onion, chopped finely
	100g bacon, diced
	80g flour
	1 litre milk
	500ml cream
	1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
	500g waxy potatoes, cut into 1cm chunks
	1kg white-fleshed fish, cut into 1cm chunks
	500g hot-smoked fish, flaked (I use kahawai)
	zest of 1 lemon
	2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1.	Melt the butter in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan and add the onions.
2.	Sauté them until translucent but without colour; this should take 2-3 minutes.
3.	Add the bacon and cook for 5 minutes until it is crisp, then add the flour.
4.	Stir this roux for 8-10 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste then tip in the milk and cream, whisking everything together vigorously. Simmer for 20 minutes.
5.	Add the thyme leaves and potatoes to the chowder and simmer until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
6.	Add the white fish and smoked fish and simmer until the white fish is just cooked through.
7.	Add the lemon zest and season with some salt and plenty of black pepper.
8.	Sprinkle with the chopped parsley to serve.