Speedy Two-fish Hotpot

Method
Prep:10min  ›  Cook:20min  ›  Ready in:30min 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the leeks and pancetta or bacon. Stir over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the fish stock, tomatoes, chilli and fennel seeds. Bring to the boil. Add the potatoes and season, then cover and boil for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the chunks of monkfish and smoked haddock. Return to the boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer very gently for 6-8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily and the potatoes are tender. Ladle into wide bowls to serve.

Swaps

For potatoes, use 100g tiny soup pasta shapes, such as conchigliette (shells), stelline (stars) or broken-up pieces of vermicelli. * For fish, use a 400g pack of frozen cooked seafood mix. Add from frozen and increase the cooking time by 1 minute. * For canned tomatoes and chilli, use a 400g can chopped tomatoes with chilli.

…speed it up

Buy a pack of ready-diced pancetta to cut down on preparation time. * Buy ready-cooked new potatoes, and if they are available in a herb butter this will make your soup even more flavoursome. Add them when the fish has been cooking for about 3 minutes.

…another idea

Louisiana seafood chowder Gently fry 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped celery stick and 1 chopped green pepper in 1 tbsp sunflower oil for 5 minutes or until softened. Add a 400g can chopped tomatoes with garlic, 400ml fish stock, made with stock cubes, and 1 tsp Tabasco sauce. Bring to the boil, stir in 100g long-grain rice, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 350g fresh or frozen mixed seafood (such as cubed white fish and small peeled prawns) and 100g canned and drained, or frozen, sweetcorn. Season. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 4-5 minutes or until the rice is tender and the fish flakes easily.