Ingredients
1 large smoked haddock (or other smoked, white fish)3 tbsp butter
1 medium onion
1 1/2 pints milk
2 cups cooked, mashed potato
seasoning
chives
2 pints mussels (optional)
Place fish, skin side down, in a shallow pan. Cover with cold water and some of the milk. Add a knob of butter and season with black pepper. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Turn fish over, remove skin, add sliced onion, cover and simmer a further 5 minutes.
Remove fish from the pan and fillet it. Return the bones to the stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain off the liquid stock, add remainder of milk, the cooked, flaked fish and most of the mashed potato.
Bring to the boil and add more potato until the soup has the desired consistency. It should be fairly thick. Add a knob of butter. Season with more black pepper and salt (taking care with salt as the smoked fish may be salty).
To serve, sprinkle chopped chives onto each bowlful. Add a few mussels to each, if you are using them.
