Vera's Seafood Chowder

THIS is a very filling soup that is a recipe of Neven Maguire's mum which he has been making on and off in his restaurant for years. Serves 6 Ingredients: 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 1 tbsp butter, softened 2 large potatoes, cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) dice 1 small onion, cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) dice 1 carrot, cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) dice 1/2 small leek, cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) dice 1 tbsp plain flour sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 150 ml (1/4 pint) dry white wine 300 ml (1/2 pint) fish stock (page 254) 100 g (4 oz) skinless salmon fillet, cut into cubes 100 g (4 oz) smoked coley fillet, cut into cubes 100 g (4 oz) cooked mussel meat 100 g (4 oz) cooked peeled prawns 150 ml (1/4 pint) cream 1 tsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tsp chopped fresh dill fresh micro salad, to garnish Method: â€Â¢ Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and then add the butter. â€Â¢ Once it stops sizzling, tip in the potatoes, onion, carrot and leek and cook for five minutes, until softened but not coloured. â€Â¢ Add the flour and cook on a low heat for two minutes, stirring continuously. Season to taste. â€Â¢ Gradually pour the wine into the pan and allow it to bubble down, stirring continuously. Add the stock and bring to the boil. â€Â¢ Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. â€Â¢ Stir in the salmon and coley and simmer for five minutes, then add the mussel meat, prawns and cream and simmer for another two to three minutes, until warmed through. â€Â¢ Stir in the herbs and season to taste. â€Â¢ To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish each one with some parsley oil and micro salad. Cook ahead This soup can be made up to 24 hours in advance and kept covered in the fridge. Just be careful when reheating not to allow it to come to the boil or the fish will lose its texture. Parsley Oil Makes about 100 ml 100 g (4oz) fresh flat-leaf parsley 100 ml (3 1/2fl oz) rapeseed oil sea salt â€Â¢ Pick the leaves from the parsley and place in a mini blender, discarding the stalks. â€Â¢ Add the rapeseed oil and a pinch of salt and blend for five minutes, until completely smooth. â€Â¢ Pass the parsley mixture through a fine sieve into a jug and then transfer to a squeezy bottle. Use as required. â€Â¢ This keeps very well in the fridge for up to three weeks in the squeezy bottle.