These two soups are warming and go down a treat at the cookery school. Sea bass is not an expensive fish. For the restaurant we buy ours in Killybegs. And these days it is easy to get small prawns that are frozen and of good quality.
The orange rind gives a lovely citrus taste to this soup. Fennel grows well in Ireland and, believe it or not, it is lovely in tea. The base for the soup can be made a couple of days in advance, ready to be cooked with the sea bass and prawns to order, leaving you with very little to do at the last minute.
The beetroot soup is a very healthy option and a great way to get good use from your beetroot. The entire contents of this soup can be found in a good deli or at a farmers’ market. More people are growing their own horseradish these days, but we still buy ours from Rod Hull in the Orgnanic Centre near us in Blacklion.
Happy cooking.
Californian sea bass & prawn chowder
Serves six to eight
Ingredients:
2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed Oil1 small fennel bulb, trimmed (reserve the fronds for garnish) and thinly sliced1 onion, thinly sliced2 shallots, sliced1 tsp fennel seeds2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped400g can chopped tomatoes2 tbsp tomato pure1 piece pared orange rind900ml (1 ½ pints) fish stock150ml (1/4 pint) dry white wine1 bay leaf175g (6oz) ready-roasted peppers from a jar or can, drained and diced450g (1lb) sea bass fillets, skinned and diced (any bones discarded)100g (4oz) small frozen prawns, thawedSea salt and freshly ground black pepperCiabatta, to serveMethod:
Heat the oil in a very large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the fennel, onion, shallots and fennel seeds and sauté for about five minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and chilli, then stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, orange rind, stock, wine and bay leaf.Season with salt and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the flavours have blended together.Add the red pepper, sea bass and prawns to the cooking liquid. Cover and cook gently for five minutes until the sea bass is just cooked through. Season to taste and ladle the soup into warmed bowls and scatter over the reserved fennel fronds. Serve with slices of ciabatta on the side.Beetroot soup with horseradish
Serves four
450g (1lb) cooked beetroot, peeled and chopped1 onion, grated1 tsp freshly grated horseradish675g (1 1/2lb) thick Greek yoghurt1/2 tsp celery salt1 tbsp cider vinegar1/2 tsp ground black pepper300ml (1/2 pint) vegetable stock4 spring onions, finely choppedSea salt and freshly ground black pepperCrusty bread, to serveMethod:
Place the beetroot in a food processor with the onion, horseradish, yoghurt, celery salt, vinegar and black pepper. Blend until smooth. Use the vegetable stock to thin down the mixture to the desired consistency.The soup can be served either hot or cold. If preferred hot, warm through in a pan on a low heat, being careful not to allow the soup to boil. Season to taste. To serve, pour into bowls and sprinkle over the spring onions. Have a separate basket of bread on the table so that everyone can help themselves.
These two soups are warming and go down a treat at the cookery school. Sea bass is not an expensive fish. For the restaurant we buy ours in Killybegs. And these days it is easy to get small prawns that are frozen and of good quality.
The orange rind gives a lovely citrus taste to this soup. Fennel grows well in Ireland and, believe it or not, it is lovely in tea. The base for the soup can be made a couple of days in advance, ready to be cooked with the sea bass and prawns to order, leaving you with very little to do at the last minute.
The beetroot soup is a very healthy option and a great way to get good use from your beetroot. The entire contents of this soup can be found in a good deli or at a farmers’ market. More people are growing their own horseradish these days, but we still buy ours from Rod Hull in the Orgnanic Centre near us in Blacklion.
Happy cooking.
Californian sea bass & prawn chowder
Serves six to eight
Ingredients:
2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed Oil1 small fennel bulb, trimmed (reserve the fronds for garnish) and thinly sliced1 onion, thinly sliced2 shallots, sliced1 tsp fennel seeds2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped400g can chopped tomatoes2 tbsp tomato pure1 piece pared orange rind900ml (1 ½ pints) fish stock150ml (1/4 pint) dry white wine1 bay leaf175g (6oz) ready-roasted peppers from a jar or can, drained and diced450g (1lb) sea bass fillets, skinned and diced (any bones discarded)100g (4oz) small frozen prawns, thawedSea salt and freshly ground black pepperCiabatta, to serveMethod:
Heat the oil in a very large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the fennel, onion, shallots and fennel seeds and sauté for about five minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and chilli, then stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, orange rind, stock, wine and bay leaf.Season with salt and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the flavours have blended together.Add the red pepper, sea bass and prawns to the cooking liquid. Cover and cook gently for five minutes until the sea bass is just cooked through. Season to taste and ladle the soup into warmed bowls and scatter over the reserved fennel fronds. Serve with slices of ciabatta on the side.Beetroot soup with horseradish
Serves four
450g (1lb) cooked beetroot, peeled and chopped1 onion, grated1 tsp freshly grated horseradish675g (1 1/2lb) thick Greek yoghurt1/2 tsp celery salt1 tbsp cider vinegar1/2 tsp ground black pepper300ml (1/2 pint) vegetable stock4 spring onions, finely choppedSea salt and freshly ground black pepperCrusty bread, to serveMethod:
Place the beetroot in a food processor with the onion, horseradish, yoghurt, celery salt, vinegar and black pepper. Blend until smooth. Use the vegetable stock to thin down the mixture to the desired consistency.The soup can be served either hot or cold. If preferred hot, warm through in a pan on a low heat, being careful not to allow the soup to boil. Season to taste. To serve, pour into bowls and sprinkle over the spring onions. Have a separate basket of bread on the table so that everyone can help themselves. 
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