Seafood Chowder

Ingredients:
200 gr (7 oz) (generous 1 cup) drained, canned corn kernels
600 ml (1 pint) (2½ cups) milk
15 gr (½ oz) (1 tbsp) butter
1 small leek, sliced
1 small garlic clove, crushed
2 rindless smoked streaky (tatty) bacon rashers (strips), chopped
1 small green (bell) pepper, seeded and diced
1 celery stalk, chopped
115 gr (4 oz) (generous ½ cup) white long grain rice
5 ml (1 tsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
450 ml (¾ pint) hot chicken or vegetable stock
4 large scallops, preferably with corals
115 gr (4 oz) white wish fillet, such as monkfish or plaice
15 ml (1 tbsp) finely chopped fresh parsley
good pinch of cayenne pepper
30-45 ml (2-3 tbsp) single (light) cream (optional)
salt and ground black pepper

Directions:

Place half the corn kernels in a food processor or blender. Add a little of the milk and process until thick and creamy.

Melt the butter in a large pan and gently fry the leek, garlic and bacon for 4-5 minutes until the leek has softened but not browned. Add the diced green pepper and chopped celery and sweat over a very gentle heat for 3-4 minutes more, stirring frequently.

Stir in the rice and cook for a few minutes until the grains begin to swell. Sprinkle over the flour. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute, then gradually stir in the remaining milk and the stock.

Bring the mixture to the boil over a medium heat, then lower the heat and stir in the creamed corn mixture, with the whole corn kernels. Season well.

Cover the pan and simmer the chowder very gently for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally, and adding a little more chicken stock or water in the mixture thickens too quickly or the rice begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Pull the corals away from the scallops and slice the white flesh into 5 mm (¼ in) pieces. Cut the fish fillet into bite-size chunks.

Stir the scallops and fish into the chowder, cook for 4 minutes, then stir in the corals, parsley and cayenne. Cook for a few minutes to heat through, then stir in the cream, if using. Adjust the seasoning and serve. Serves 4-6.