Smoked Haddock Chowder with Corn

Chowder is the rare dish that is both a Tuesday night throw-together and something you would happily serve to guests. Smoked haddock does most of the work; you are really just providing it with somewhere warm to sit.

Look for undyed smoked haddock, sometimes sold as finnan haddie. The bright yellow kind is dyed, tastes the same, and looks like a cafeteria tray.

Why this one is iodine-rich

Three sources in one pot. Haddock is a white fish in the same iodine bracket as cod. Whole milk is one of the largest contributors to iodine intake in most American diets — more than people expect. And the potatoes chip in a little more, skin on.

Ingredients

Serves 4.

• 14 oz undyed smoked haddock fillet, skinned
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/4 cups fish or vegetable broth
• 14 oz waxy potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch dice
• 1 leek, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup corn (canned and drained, or frozen)
• 2 bay leaves
• Small bunch of parsley, chopped
• Black pepper

Method

1. Put the haddock in a wide pan with the milk and bay leaves. Bring to a bare simmer and poach for 4 minutes, then lift the fish out onto a plate. Keep the milk.
2. In a large pot, melt the butter and sweat the onion and leek gently for 8 minutes with a pinch of salt, until soft and sweet but not browned.
3. Add the potatoes and the broth. Simmer for 12 minutes, until the potato is tender at the edges.
4. Strain in the poaching milk. Add the corn and warm through for 3 minutes, keeping it below a boil so the milk does not split.
5. Flake the haddock into large pieces and fold it in at the very end. It is already cooked — it just needs to warm.
6. Season with plenty of black pepper. It rarely needs salt; the fish brings its own. Finish with parsley.

Notes and swaps

• Can't find smoked haddock? Smoked cod, smoked pollock or smoked whitefish all work, and any good fish counter will have one of them.
• Thicker. Crush a few of the potato cubes against the side of the pot with a spoon.
• Dairy-free. Oat milk works, but you lose the milk's iodine contribution — which is a meaningful part of why this dish is on the list.
• Smoked salmon trimmings stirred in at the end are a good, cheap upgrade.
• Freezing. Milk-based soups can split on reheating. Freeze the base before the fish and milk go in if you want to get ahead.

Common questions

Is smoked fish a problem for salt intake?
Smoked haddock is salty, which is why this recipe adds none. If you are watching sodium, soak the fillet in cold milk for twenty minutes first and discard that milk.

Does the milk really matter?
For iodine, yes. Dairy is a significant contributor in a lot of everyday diets, largely because of how cattle are fed and how equipment is cleaned. It is one of the main reasons people who cut out dairy without replacing it can find their intake drops.

The food-first habit

A pot of this on a Sunday covers two dinners and a lunch. If Lugol's Iodine has been doing the heavy lifting while you got your intake back up, cooking like this is the quieter, longer-term half of the job.

Recipes are published for general interest and are not medical or dietary advice. Iodine requirements vary from person to person, and iodine has an upper limit as well as a recommended intake. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking thyroid medication or managing a thyroid condition, speak to your healthcare provider before making significant changes to your iodine intake. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.