Sweetcorn Chowder with Cheesy Toasted Tortillas [from Nigella Express]

Of all the recipe books which I own, my frequently used cookbook has to be Nigella Express. I have attempted a number of its recipes and the ones I have  blogged about happened to be croissants (case in point here and here). After all what’s not love about the flaky, crispy and buttery pastry right?

I’ve been eyeing on the sweetcorns chowder recipe for some time and all it took was one unbearable cold winter’s night (plus a light flu) to try this simple recipe.

Sweetcorn Chowder with Cheesy Toasted Tortillas [Vegetarian]

The original recipe is found here.

I felt the original recipe was too much for two people so I have decided to HALVE the recipe.

I have made the soup slightly different from the original recipe. The ingredients are almost the same but I strayed from the original method by using a stick blender and the sequence of adding the ingredients. (Note: the original recipe uses a food processor and Ms Lawson processed the ingredients first before adding them into the stock). Also I didn’t thaw the sweetcorns.

Emily’s methods:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius / about 392 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Pour vegetable stock into a pot over medium flame.

• Add frozen sweetcorns into the stock and let the soup and sweetcorns boil away.

• In the meantime, slice spring onion and roughly chop a garlic.

• Add the spring onion and garlic into the soup.

• Add semolina. (Confession: Instead of halving the weight of the semolina, I have misread the weighing scale and doubled the portion of the semolina instead of halving it. Never cook when you are tired.)

• Allow the soup to boil.

• Using a stick blender, process the mixture until very smooth.

• To rectify my mistake for adding too much semolina, I water down the soup with some boiling water. The quantity depends on your preferred consistency. Taste to check if additional salt is required and allow the soup to simmer over low flame while you move on to toasting the tortillas.

• Line your baking tray with baking paper.  I stacked the tortillas chips in clutters to ease the division of the chips after toasting. Sprinkle cheese over each clutter and bake for 5-10 or until the cheese is melted.

• I’ve decided to add some chopped chilli into the soup (also save some for garnish later) and add a tablespoon of butter (or more if you’re feelin’ naughty) for richness. Please make sure all the butter is melted and well mix before serving.

• Ladle the soup into a bowl and place a stack of cheesy tortillas in the middle of each bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped chilli if you wish.