Sweetcorn Chowder With Toasted Tortillas
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA EXPRESSIntroduction
The tortillas I use here are those crisp, crunchy, corn-gritty triangles that I never need an excuse to eat, but if you are in search of one yourself, I heartily recommend this soup. Mind you, even without the cheesy chilli-flecked tortilla topping, this is a winner.
When I plan to make this, I tend to take a big pack of frozen corn out of the deep freeze at breakfast time, in readiness for a super-quick, fantastically soothing, mellow-yellow and very pleasing supper that night.
Use whatever cheese you like; mostly I go for Cheddar since I always have some in the fridge, but I am happy about using up other bits and pieces. If children are eating, it's wise to omit the chillies — unless they're being very annoying.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
The tortillas I use here are those crisp, crunchy, corn-gritty triangles that I never need an excuse to eat, but if you are in search of one yourself, I heartily recommend this soup. Mind you, even without the cheesy chilli-flecked tortilla topping, this is a winner.
When I plan to make this, I tend to take a big pack of frozen corn out of the deep freeze at breakfast time, in readiness for a super-quick, fantastically soothing, mellow-yellow and very pleasing supper that night.
Use whatever cheese you like; mostly I go for Cheddar since I always have some in the fridge, but I am happy about using up other bits and pieces. If children are eating, it's wise to omit the chillies — unless they're being very annoying.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 6
- 1 kilogram frozen sweetcorn kernels (defrosted)
- 3 spring onions (debearded and halved)
- 1 clove garlic (peeled)
- 35 grams semolina
- 1½ litres hot vegetable stock (made from concentrate or cube)
- 400 grams lightly salted tortilla chips
- 200 grams grated Cheddar cheese
- 2 long red chillies (deseeded and finely chopped, optional)
- 6 cups frozen sweetcorn kernels (defrosted)
- 3 scallions (debearded and halved)
- 1 clove garlic (peeled)
- ¼ cup semolina
- 6 cups hot vegetable broth (made from concentrate or cube)
- 14 ounces lightly salted tortilla chips
- 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
- 2 long red chiles (deseeded and finely chopped, optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 6/400ºF.
- Drain the sweetcorn and put into a food processor with the spring onions, garlic and semolina. Blitz to a speckled primrose mush; unless you have a big processor you may have to do this in two batches.
- Tip this mixture into a large saucepan, add the hot vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and let the chowder simmer, partially covered for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, spread the tortilla chips out on a foil-lined baking sheet and sprinkle the cheese over. Warm in the hot oven for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts over the chips.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and put a small mound of cheese-molten chips into the middle of each bowl. Sprinkle some of the red chilli on top, if you feel like it, and serve immediately to very grateful people.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 6/400ºF.
- Drain the sweetcorn and put into a food processor with the scallions, garlic and semolina. Blitz to a speckled primrose mush; unless you have a big processor you may have to do this in two batches.
- Tip this mixture into a large saucepan, add the hot vegetable broth and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and let the chowder simmer, partially covered for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, spread the tortilla chips out on a foil-lined baking sheet and sprinkle the cheese over. Warm in the hot oven for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts over the chips.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and put a small mound of cheese-molten chips into the middle of each bowl. Sprinkle some of the red chilli on top, if you feel like it, and serve immediately to very grateful people.
Additional Information
For vegetarians check that the cheese is made with vegetarian rennet.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Leftovers of the soup should be refrigerated as quickly as possible and within 2 hours of making. Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan over a medium heat, adding a little extra vegetable stock as needed, until piping hot. Leftovers can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.
For vegetarians check that the cheese is made with vegetarian rennet.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Leftovers of the soup should be refrigerated as quickly as possible and within 2 hours of making. Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan over a medium heat, adding a little extra vegetable stock as needed, until piping hot. Leftovers can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.
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Show more commentsif you're making this with whole corn (which i do because i have them frozen from my boyfriend's mum's allotment!) it's extra good if you make a stock from the cobs after shaving off the kernels - and no extra cost! Don't forget to be generous with the salt if you use this instead of stock cubes. i like this with some pink pickled onions and jalepenos as a quick bright salsa garnish along with the chips, but wonderful either way and SO easy :•)
I just made this, I used French onion soup mix for the stock, and added a couple of handfuls of grated cheese to the soup. Oh, and three or four cloves of garlic. No tortillas for me. I was sooooo good!
This is a hit with the whole family. Instead of using just tortilla chips leftover taco shells from the 'happy taco Friday' meal are crushed and used :)
Great soup, so tasty and quick. My boys love it for lunch after a cold morning at football, I think it's going to be a weekly staple!
I just made the sweetcorn chowder and it was delicious! I love the subtle sweetness of the chowder against the salty tortillas. Plus it was really easy to make :-)
This is a BRILLIANT recipe. I tried it last night and blogged about it: http://effiesfoodblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/sweetcorn-chowder.html Try it, it's really easy and really delicious. x
Quick, easy and the whole family loved it. Great on a cool winters night!