Cod, tomato and basil chunky soup

I had been looking for something to make using cod and tomato and stumbled across a cod and tomato chowder recipe on the delightful Yummy Mummy Blog. However, I'm not sure what exactly constitutes a chowder, so I am calling this variation a chunky soup.

Some food tastes like it is good for you and this recipe is a perfect example. It is also simple and something young children should love.

Serves 4 as a starter or part of a lunch.

Ingredients

2 cod fillets (skinless and boneless)
2 medium potatoes (such as roasters)
2 carrots
1 sweet onion
2 tomatoes
150g chopped green beans
1 tbsp dried basil
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of finely chopped root ginger
knob of butter
400ml chicken stock
400ml tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp salt
black pepper
chopped spring onions and parsley to serve

Method

1. Start by preparing the vegetables. Finely chop the onion and garlic and grate or finely chop the root ginger. Peel and cut the potatoes and carrots into small cube sized pieces.
2. Heat a knob of butter in a wide saucepan and then when hot gently cook the onion, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes. 
3. Add the carrot and potato and cook, while stirring, for another five minutes.
4. Add the 2 tomatoes, which you should quarter, the basil and salt and stir for a few more minutes.
5. Now add the chicken stock and tin of chopped tomatoes, stir and then leave to simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Place the chopped beans in the pan and place the seasoned cod fillets on top of the mixture. Place a lid over the saucepan and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. 
7. The cod will now be cooked so you can break it up easily.
8. Garnish with the parsley and chopped spring onion and serve.

Serve with crusty warm bread for a wholesome winter lunch.

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Luxury Fish Pie

Ingredient:

Fish and Sauce:

Two salmon fillets

One cod loin

100g cooked prawns

75g butter

75g plain flour

500ml fish stock

200ml milk

50ml cream

1 glass of white wine

1 carrot

1 leek

1 medium onion

1 bayleef

handful of fresh parsley

5 peppercorns

salt and pepper (to taste)

splash of lemon juice

50g red leicester cheese (grated)

Mashed potato:

Six medium potatoes

Two sweet potatoes

50ml milk

25g butter

25ml cream

50g red leicester cheese (grated)

Topping:

50g red leicester cheese (finely grated)

50g breadcrumbs

Method:

This meal sounds like a lot of effort given the ingredient list above, but it is simple and can be prepared in 45 minutes - plus another 25 minutes of oven cooking time. It is well worth the effort too.

Start off by preparing the potatoes by pealing them all and chopping them into quarters. Add them to salted water and bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. Once cooked strain the water, add the small amounts of butter, milk and cheese and mash.

Meanwhile, add the chopped onion, leek, carrot, peppercorns and bay leaf to the fish stock and bring to the boil and then simmer for ten minutes.

Place the salmon and cod to the stock and continue to simmer for three minutes.

Take out the fish and set aside to cool

Strain the stock with a sieve, then return to the boil and then simmer and add the wine.

Melt the butter and then mix with the flour and return to the heat for a minute. Slowly add the stock while continually mixing and then add the milk, cheese, parsley and flour. Add salt and white pepper to taste.

Now put the meal together by placing the prawns, and fish in a dish along with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Mix around so the fish breaks into pieces.

Pour over the sauce and sprinkle over some extra grated cheese and cracked black pepper before layering on the mashed potato.

Smooth the dish before adding a mixture of grated cheese and breadcrumbs.

Return to the oven at 200degrees for at least 25 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs become crispy.

Serve with vegetables and garlic bread and enjoy.

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