Sluttishly Savoury: Smoked Haddock Chowder

There are rumours of snow, Peep Show was a little bit rubbish and the inbox just isn't backing down. It's time for chowder. This is one of those simple recipes that's like a massive winter hug (those good ones from your favourite person). Under a Slanket. With a hot water bottle. Use this recipe in emergencies and wait for instant smiling. It won't fix the inbox, but it'll make you care at least 47% less*.

You'll need:

• 1 piece naturally smoked undyed haddock
• 400ml milk
• plenty of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• big knob of butter
• 1 white onion finely chopped
• 2 large floury potatoes (Maris Pipers are good) peeled and diced into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon powdered fish stock (or 1 fish stock cube)
• 300g frozen sweetcorn
• 200ml double cream
• paprika
• salt to taste
• fried shallots to garnish (optional)

Make it!

1. In a saucepan, add the milk, bay leaf, pepper and haddock. Heat until just starting to boil then remove from heat, cover and leave for 10 minutes.
2. Carefully remove the fish, the skin will now peel off easily, flake the flesh into big chunks and set it aside.
3. In another pan fry the onions and potato gently in the butter, you don't want them to colour just for everything to soften. Then add the poaching milk and 200g of your sweetcorn and heat gently.
4. Blitz in a food processor then return to the pan, add the remainder of the sweetcorn, the flaked haddock and stir in the cream. Season to taste then serve topped with a sprinkling of paprika and the fried shallots.

*This figure is wildly fabricated. Make some chowder and report back,