Comfort Food

By Head Chef Guy Day

As we come to the end of the winter with all the snow and ice around you can't beat a hearty soup made out of the fish that swim in our seas.  For a chef this is probably the hardest time of the year for British produce; the Game season is now over and the mushrooms have all disappeared but there is light at the end of the tunnel because we are about six weeks away from the start of Spring.

We will see the peas, broad beans, asparagus, morel mushrooms, spring lamb and soft fruit and it will just keep getting better and better as we go through the Summer and into the Autumn.

I am currently working on the menu for the new Bar & Grill Restaurant which will open in the Granary building in the Spring and am looking forward to putting together some great food using locally sourced ingredients.

In the meantime here is my recipe for a great comfort soup for these long winter evenings: 

Smoked Haddock, Leek and Potato Soup

400g Un-dyed smoked haddock
200g White fish, skin removed (haddock, cod, whiting)
1 whole leek sliced and washed
I onion, chopped
100ml white wine
500ml fish or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
Enough milk to cover the fish
A little cream to finish - optional

Poach the smoked haddock in the milk until cooked and remove to cool. Keep the milk. 

In a heavy bottomed pan saute the onions over a medium heat, trying not to colour. When soft add the raw white fish and wine, when the wine has reduced add the stock, potatoes and half the leeks. Cook until the potatoes are soft, add the reserved milk and half of the smoked haddock - blitz in a processor until smooth.

In another pan saute the remaining leeks in a little butter, flake up the remaining smoked haddock and add to the pan. Pour over the blitzed soup and season to taste, finishing with a litle cream.

Serve with nice crusty bread and a glass of white wine and watch the snow fall outside your window!