A hearty yet fresh tasting soup that is perfect for Spring days when there's still a nip in the air.

Smoked Haddock Soup

This is incredibly easy to prepare ahead - just add the fish when you’re ready to serve!

Serves 3-4 as a hearty starter or light lunch.

Ingredients
550g smoked haddock, thickest piece you can find
200ml milk
100ml crème fraîche
300ml fish stock
1 large leek (white part only), chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large potato, peeled & diced
25g Parmesan, grated
2-3 handfuls fresh, large leaf spinach, blanched

Remove the skin from the haddock & dice the flesh. Place the skin & any trimmings in a saucepan (the diced fish will be added later). Add the milk, crème fraîche!& stock. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. This may look slightly curdled at this stage but don’r fret!

In a separate pan, heat a little olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the leek & garlic for 2-3 mins, then add the diced potato, cook until almost tender. Strain the creamy stock over the vegetables, bring to a simmer, and cook gently for 10 minutes. Blend until smooth, then return to the pan.

Stir in the Parmesan and whisk until incorporated. Check the seasoning. When ready to serve, reheat the soup & add the diced fish - it will cook almost instantly. Stir in the blanched spinach.

Finish with a little lemon zest.

With thanks to Louise Hurst of Nordic Kitchen Stories for this recipe and images