Donal's Irish Adventure45 Minutes

Howth Head Seafood Chowder

Name: Howth Head Seafood Chowder
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 1 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped; 50g pancetta, cut into cubes; 300g potatoes, peeled and chopped into small pieces; 1 litre fish stock; 160ml double cream; 150g cod or haddock, skinned and flesh cut into 2cm pieces; 150g salmon, skinned and flesh cut into 2cm pieces; 250g undyed smoked haddock, skinned and flesh cut into 2cm pieces; 1kg mussels in their shells, cleaned; 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

My home town of Howth is famous throughout Ireland for its fish. Along the west pier there are plenty of fishmongers to choose some of the freshest fish for supper. This wonderfully creamy seafood chowder always reminds me of home and with a few slices of brown bread with Irish salted butter, I’m there in an instant.

Donal SkehanFrom the series · Donal's Irish Adventure

45 min totalServes 6Medium

Time45 min

Serves6

SkillMedium

ShowSuper Food In Minutes

Method

Melt the butter in a large pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the pancetta and continue to fry until it colours. Season with salt and pepper, add the potatoes and cook gently for 2–3 minutes before adding the fish stock.

Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the potatoes are tender yet firm. Lower the heat and add the cream, keeping a steady simmer.

Add the cod, salmon, smoked haddock and mussels and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Discard any mussels which haven’t opened whilst cooking.

Remove the pot from the heat and serve in warmed deep bowls with a sprinkle of parsley.

Cook's notes

Start by frying the onions in butter until properly softened before the pancetta goes in to colour — that base carries the whole pot, so season it well from the off.
Add the fish and mussels only for the last few minutes — five is plenty. Overcook them and the delicate pieces go from silky to rubbery.
Give the mussels a good clean and a tap before they go in; discard any that stay open. After cooking, throw out any that haven't opened.
The undyed smoked haddock is doing the heavy lifting on flavour, so don't skip it — it's what makes this taste like a real chowder rather than a fish soup.
Cook the potatoes until tender but still holding their shape, and season with a light hand at the end — the pancetta and smoked haddock both bring salt of their own.

Serve with Warm crusty bread or brown soda bread is essential for mopping the bowl, with a wedge of lemon and a cold glass of stout alongside.

Make ahead & storage Best eaten fresh, as reheating can toughen the seafood. If you must keep it, chill within two hours and warm through very gently the next day without letting it boil.

45 Minutes

Recipe by Donal Skehan · From the series Donal's Irish Adventure · Photography © Appetite Media
Published 13 July 2026 · Updated 15 July 2026

Nutrition

Per serving · estimated

420kcal

39gprotein

18gcarbs

21gfat

Approximate — calculated from the ingredient list using USDA food data. A guide, not a medical figure.

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