Corn and cauliflower chowder

SERVES 4 2tbsp olive oil 1 leek, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced ½ large cauliflower (approx. 500g) cut into small florets, leaves shredded 4 x corn on the cob, kernals removed, or 500g canned sweecorn 1 x 400ml can coconut milk 1tsp vegetable stock powder or ½ stock cube juice ½ unwaxed lemon For the topping olive oil, for frying and drizzling 1 green chilli, thinly sliced 4 spring onions, sliced bunch basil handful roasted, unsalted peanuts, roughly crushed dash olive oil, for frying and to serve

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 cauliflower leaves. 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.