Home-Style Fish Chowder with Garlic Ciabatta

Instructions

1. Prep ingredients: Preheat the oven to 200C. Finely chop the celery. Peel the potato and cut into 1.5cm chunks. Thinly slice the spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separate. Combine 2 tsp plain flour and half the pepper and garlic seasoning in a shallow bowl. Dust the fish with the flour mixture and shake off the excess.
2. Soften veggies: Heat 10g butter and 1 tsp olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the celery, potato and white part of the spring onion, stirring, for 4 mins or until softened. Add the remaining pepper and garlic seasoning and 2 tsp plain flour and cook, stirring, for 2 mins or until golden (see Kitchen 101).
3. Simmer chowder: Gradually add 60ml (¼ cup) milk and 500ml (2 cups) water to the potato mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps forming. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 mins or until slightly thickened and the potato is tender. Remove the pan from the heat and coarsely mash the potato. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.
4. Pan-fry fish: Meanwhile, heat 1 tbs olive oil in a medium frypan over medium-high heat. Cook the fish for 3-4 mins each side until browned and cooked through. Remove from the pan. While the fish is cooking, put the garlic ciabatta on an oven tray and bake for 6 mins or until warm and crusty.
5. Serve up: Break the fish into large pieces. Divide the chowder among bowls. Top with the fish and scatter over the remaining spring onion. Serve with the garlic ciabatta and enjoy!