Nick Price is the chef proprietor of the eponymous Nick's Warehouse in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter. What endears so many people to Nick's Warehouse and Nick's food is his uncomplicated style. His menu specializes in unpretentious, well-prepared food with good, strong flavours. The bright and airy restaurant with its buzzy atmosphere makes a perfect backdrop for real food and real tastes. This recipe from Nick is a good example of what he does - it's a dish that makes use of good, local ingredients to produce something tasty without enormous effort.

Smoked Haddock and Mussel Chowder

300g Pale Smoked Haddock skinned and cubed
2 small onions chopped
1 green pepper chopped
4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon cubed
60 g butter for frying
500g peeled and diced potatoes
326g tin of sweetcorn
125 ml whipping cream
1 large stewing leek trimmed washed and sliced
4 sticks of celery peeled with a potato peeler and sliced
1 litre fish stock or chicken will do if fish not available.

[OPTIONAL :500 G OF ROPE CULTURED MUSSELS WASHED AND WITH THE BEARDS REMOVED]

Method : Gently melt the butter in a large saucepan add the bacon and fry for 2 mins, then add the onions and garlic fry till onions soften, then add the green pepper, celery and leek and cook for a further 4/5 mins. Next add the sweet corn, potatoes and the haddock, then add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the potato is cooked through [about 15 mins], now divide the soup in half and liquidize one half and add back into the non liquidized half, which gives you thickness and texture, now add the cream and bring back up to heat and serve with a garnish of chopped chives or parsley.

If you like mussels ask the fishmonger for rope cultured ones as they are very unlikely to be gritty wash them and remove the little stringy bit [the "beard"] then just slide them into the simmering chowder and cook till they open and then serve. Please make sure not to eat any that have not opened, just discard these ones.

Nick's Warehouse, 35-36 Hill Street, Belfast.
Tel 028 9043 9690 (dial prefix 048 from RoI)
www.nickswarehouse.co.uk