Fish Stews and Chowders
Cooking Skills: Fish and Shellfish 2
Chapter 3 · Fish Stews and Chowders
Skill goal
Layer fish, potato and shellfish in a pot so every piece cooks just right.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
A fish stew is a pot built in layers, because different fish cook at different speeds. Start with a soft base of onion, celery and garlic, add the liquid (stock, milk or tomatoes), then the potatoes and firm fish, and last the delicate fish and shellfish, which need only a few minutes. A chowder is a creamy, thick version with potato; cullen skink is the Scottish smoked haddock soup; a bouillabaisse-style stew is the Mediterranean tomato and saffron version.
Everything depends on timing and a gentle simmer, because a fast boil breaks up the fish. Use the stock from Cooking Skills: Fish and Shellfish 2, chapter 2, or a carton of low-salt stock. For a thick white base see Cooking Skills: Sauces 1, chapter 2, and for the fish-cooking judgement see Cooking Skills: Fish and Shellfish 1, chapter 4. No wine is used here; stock, lemon and tomato replace it.
The method
- Soften the base slowly in butter or oil; it builds the flavour.
- Add the liquid and potatoes, and simmer until the potato is nearly tender.
- Add firm fish (haddock, cod, hake) cut into big chunks, which hold together better.
- Add delicate fish and shellfish last, turn off the heat and let them finish gently.
- Taste at the end, adding lemon or parsley for freshness, and serve straight away.
| Stew | Base liquid | Fish | Time (approximate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoked haddock chowder | Milk and stock | Smoked haddock, white fish | 30 minutes |
| Tomato fish stew | Tomato and stock | Cod, prawns | 35 minutes |
| Cullen skink | Milk and potato | Smoked haddock | 35 minutes |
| Bouillabaisse-style | Tomato, saffron, orange | Mixed fish and shellfish | 45 minutes |
Hot pot, boiling liquid and allergens
Hot pot and boiling stew: a pot of stew or chowder is heavy and stays scalding for a long time. Use a ladle rather than pouring, lift the lid away from your face, keep the handle turned in, and let it cool for a few minutes before serving children.Hot liquid and steam: hot milk, stock and poaching liquid scald badly and steam burns faster than boiling water. Keep the handle turned in, lift lids away from your face, use a slotted spoon or fish slice over the pan, and never carry a full pan across a busy kitchen.
Bones: even fillets can hide thin pin bones. Run a clean finger along the fillet and pull any bones out with tweezers, and warn children and anyone you serve. Whole sardines and mackerel have fine bones that are best taken out.
Allergens: fish is one of the 14 major allergens, and cross-contact is easy: it can pass on boards, oil, tongs and pans. Crustaceans (prawns), molluscs (mussels, scallops), gluten, milk and egg also appear in fish recipes. Always tell guests what is in a dish.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Smoked haddock chowder
A thick, comforting soup. Poach the smoked haddock in the milk first so the milk takes on its flavour, then use it for the base. Keep the potato in neat cubes so it holds its shape, and finish with sweetcorn and a splash of cream.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 400 g undyed smoked haddock
- 500 ml whole milk
- 30 g butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- 400 g floury potatoes, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
- 300 ml low-salt fish stock
- 150 g sweetcorn
- 100 ml double cream
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- Poach the haddock in the milk for 6 to 8 minutes, lift out, flake it (no skin or bones) and keep the milk.
- Soften the onion and celery in the butter for 8 minutes. Add the potato, the stock and the poaching milk, and simmer for 12 minutes until the potato is just tender.
- Add the sweetcorn and cream, heat gently for 3 minutes, fold in the fish and parsley, and season carefully.
Hot milk, hot pot and allergens
Hot liquid and steam: hot milk, stock and poaching liquid scald badly and steam burns faster than boiling water. Keep the handle turned in, lift lids away from your face, use a slotted spoon or fish slice over the pan, and never carry a full pan across a busy kitchen.Hot pot and boiling stew: a pot of stew or chowder is heavy and stays scalding for a long time. Use a ladle rather than pouring, lift the lid away from your face, keep the handle turned in, and let it cool for a few minutes before serving children.
Smoked and oily fish for some people: pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are advised to limit oily fish and shark, swordfish and marlin, and to avoid raw or lightly cooked shellfish and, for some, cold-smoked fish. This is general guidance, not medical advice: check current health guidance if it applies to you.
Allergens: contains fish, milk and sulphites.
Level 2 · Tomato
A tomato fish stew
A simple, bright stew in the Mediterranean style. Cook the base until sweet, simmer the tomato until it thickens, then add the fish in two stages. Serve with crusty bread.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 400 ml low-salt fish stock
- 1 strip of orange peel
- 500 g firm white fish (cod or hake), in large chunks
- 200 g raw king prawns
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- Soften the onion and fennel in the oil for 8 minutes, add the garlic for 1 minute, then the tomatoes, stock and orange peel. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the fish and simmer very gently for 5 minutes, then the prawns for 2 to 3 minutes until pink.
- Season, scatter with parsley, remove the peel and serve with bread.
Hot pot, shellfish and allergens
Hot pot and boiling stew: a pot of stew or chowder is heavy and stays scalding for a long time. Use a ladle rather than pouring, lift the lid away from your face, keep the handle turned in, and let it cool for a few minutes before serving children.Shellfish safety: shellfish must be very fresh and cooked until the shells open and the flesh is firm and opaque. Buy from a good fishmonger, keep it cold (below 5°C), cook it the day you buy it, and never eat shellfish that smells strongly of ammonia. Mussels that stay open when tapped before cooking, or stay shut after cooking, must be thrown away.
Shellfish allergens: crustaceans (prawns) and molluscs (mussels, scallops, squid) are major allergens and can cause severe reactions. Cook them with their own board, pan and tools, tell guests clearly, and don't serve them to anyone who is allergic or unsure.
Level 2 · Scottish
Cullen skink
A Scottish classic from Cullen on the Moray coast. Smoked haddock, potato, onion and milk, then partly mashed so the soup thickens by itself. Keep the pieces of fish whole for the best texture.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 400 g undyed smoked haddock
- 500 ml whole milk
- 30 g butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 400 g floury potatoes, diced
- 300 ml water
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
- 1 bay leaf
- Poach the haddock in the milk with the bay leaf for 6 to 8 minutes. Lift out, flake it, and strain and keep the milk.
- Soften the onion in the butter for 8 minutes, add the potato, the milk and the water, and simmer for 15 minutes until tender.
- Mash roughly with a masher to thicken, return the fish, warm gently, season and scatter with chives.
Hot milk, hot pot and allergens
Hot liquid and steam: hot milk, stock and poaching liquid scald badly and steam burns faster than boiling water. Keep the handle turned in, lift lids away from your face, use a slotted spoon or fish slice over the pan, and never carry a full pan across a busy kitchen.Hot pot and boiling stew: a pot of stew or chowder is heavy and stays scalding for a long time. Use a ladle rather than pouring, lift the lid away from your face, keep the handle turned in, and let it cool for a few minutes before serving children.
Smoked and oily fish for some people: pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are advised to limit oily fish and shark, swordfish and marlin, and to avoid raw or lightly cooked shellfish and, for some, cold-smoked fish. This is general guidance, not medical advice: check current health guidance if it applies to you.
Allergens: contains fish and milk.
Level 3 · Mediterranean
A bouillabaisse-style stew with no wine
The French stew of Marseille, built with saffron, orange peel and tomato. Without the usual wine or pastis it still tastes bright, because the stock, tomato and lemon provide the acidity. Use several kinds of fish, firm first and delicate last.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 800 ml low-salt fish stock
- 1 pinch saffron strands
- 1 strip of orange peel
- 400 g firm white fish (cod, hake or monkfish), chunked
- 300 g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 200 g raw king prawns
- 1 lemon, juice
- Soften the onion, leek and fennel in the oil for 10 minutes, add the garlic, then the tomatoes, stock, saffron and orange peel. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the firm fish and simmer for 5 minutes, then the mussels (cover the pot) and prawns for 3 to 4 minutes until the shells open and the prawns are pink. Discard any unopened mussels.
- Add the lemon juice, taste, and serve in wide bowls with bread.
Hot pot, shellfish safety and allergens
Hot pot and boiling stew: a pot of stew or chowder is heavy and stays scalding for a long time. Use a ladle rather than pouring, lift the lid away from your face, keep the handle turned in, and let it cool for a few minutes before serving children.Shellfish safety: shellfish must be very fresh and cooked until the shells open and the flesh is firm and opaque. Buy from a good fishmonger, keep it cold (below 5°C), cook it the day you buy it, and never eat shellfish that smells strongly of ammonia. Mussels that stay open when tapped before cooking, or stay shut after cooking, must be thrown away.
Shellfish allergens: crustaceans (prawns) and molluscs (mussels, scallops, squid) are major allergens and can cause severe reactions. Cook them with their own board, pan and tools, tell guests clearly, and don't serve them to anyone who is allergic or unsure.
Bones: even fillets can hide thin pin bones. Run a clean finger along the fillet and pull any bones out with tweezers, and warn children and anyone you serve. Whole sardines and mackerel have fine bones that are best taken out.
Experiments
Experiment
Adding fish early or late
Texture.
- Make two small pots, adding the fish at the start of one and at the end of the other.
Look for: Fish added early breaks up and turns dry; fish added at the end stays in tender flakes.
Experiment
Firm and delicate fish together
Timing.
- Add cod and plaice to a pot at the same moment.
Look for: The delicate plaice breaks apart while the cod holds. Add delicate fish last.
Experiment
Cream or milk
Richness.
- Finish one chowder with cream and one with only milk.
Look for: Cream gives a velvety richness; milk gives a lighter, cleaner flavour.
Experiment
Saffron or turmeric
Colour and flavour.
- Colour two small pots, one with saffron and one with turmeric.
Look for: Saffron gives a subtle, honeyed flavour; turmeric gives a stronger yellow but an earthy taste.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoked haddock chowder | ||||
| Tomato fish stew | ||||
| Cullen skink | ||||
| Bouillabaisse-style stew | ||||
| Adding fish early or late | ||||
| Firm and delicate fish together | ||||
| Cream or milk | ||||
| Saffron or turmeric |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Fish falls apart | Boiled hard or stirred | Simmer gently; stir as little as possible |
| Rubbery prawns | Cooked too long | Add at the end; stop when pink |
| Thin chowder | Not enough potato or milk reduced | Mash a few potatoes into the soup |
| Bland stew | Under-seasoned or weak stock | Add salt, lemon and a pinch of saffron |
| Curdled milk | Boiled with acid | Keep it below a simmer; add lemon at the end |
| Gritty mussels | Not cleaned | Scrub and rinse; discard open ones |
Hot pot, shellfish and leftovers
Hot pot and boiling stew: a pot of stew or chowder is heavy and stays scalding for a long time. Use a ladle rather than pouring, lift the lid away from your face, keep the handle turned in, and let it cool for a few minutes before serving children.Shellfish safety: shellfish must be very fresh and cooked until the shells open and the flesh is firm and opaque. Buy from a good fishmonger, keep it cold (below 5°C), cook it the day you buy it, and never eat shellfish that smells strongly of ammonia. Mussels that stay open when tapped before cooking, or stay shut after cooking, must be thrown away.
Leftover fish: cool cooked fish quickly, refrigerate it within 1 to 2 hours, and eat it within about 1 day (2 at most). Reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through. Do not refreeze fish that was frozen and thawed unless you cook it first.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can build a stew in layers.
- I can poach smoked fish in milk.
- I can add fish in the right order.
- I can keep a stew at a gentle simmer.
- I know which fish are firm and which are delicate.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Fish and Shellfish 2, chapter 4 is Fish Curries: building a curry for fish that is fragile.