Can I Use An Alternative To Semolina In The Sweetcorn Chowder?

Our answer

Nigella's Sweetcorn Chowder With Toasted Tortillas (from NIGELLA EXPRESS) is a quick but hearty soup made with frozen corn kernels that is topped with cheese-enrobed toasted tortilla chips. The soup is thickened slightly with semolina, which is coarsely milled durum wheat. You can omit the semolina completely if you prefer. The soup will be slightly thinner in consistency, but still delicious.

We suspect that it is also possible to switch the semolina to polenta or cornmeal, which should be gluten free. A fine polenta or cornmeal would be best due to the shortish cooking time. You can probably use the quick-cooking polenta that normally thickens in 3-5 minutes (this is maize that has been cooked and then dehydrated again), but not the blocks of ready-cooked polenta. However, we have not tried the soup with polenta so are unable to guarantee the results.