Corn and cauliflower chowder

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add the leek and a good pinch of salt, then cook for 5-10 minutes until soft and sweet. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the cauliflower florets, keeping the leaves for later.

Add all but a handful of the corn, a good pinch of salt, the coconut milk, stock powder or cube and 800m hot water (use the empty coconut milk can and fill it twice). Bring to the boil and simmer for around 20 minutes. It’s ready when the cauliflower is soft throughout and the soup has thickened a little.

Blend with a hand-held stick blender until roughly half of it is liquid and half still has texture. Add some of the lemon juice and a good grinding of black pepper and taste, adding a little more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice if needed.

To make the topping, heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add a little oil and then the remaining corn, the green chilli and spring onions, along with the shredded cauliflowerleaves. Cook until the corn is charred and the leaves deep green and wilted. Serve this on top of the soup, scattered with the basil and peanuts and drizzled with olive oil.

Cook’s note

You can use other nuts instead of peanuts, and coriander in place of basil, if you like.

This recipe featured in the May/June 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.