Vegetarian mains
Creamy sweetcorn chowder
Carlin peas are a little like chickpeas; darker and slightly softer. Swap with butter beans, chickpeas or similar if you can't find them.
Cook's notes
We’ve used the cobs in the chowder - they release extra flavour as they simmer.
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 150g sweet mixed peppers
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 sweetcorn cobs
- 300g salad potatoes
- 1 tin carlin peas (or chickpeas)
- 2 chillies - add to taste
- 1 corn chowder spice mix (½ tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried thyme, ½ tbsp bouillon powder, 2 bay leaves),
- 2 tortillas
- 50g Cheddar cheese
- 15g parsley
- 60ml double cream
Method
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Step 1
Peel, halve, and finely dice the onion. Halve the peppers, lengthways, deseed (they don’t have many seeds), then halve them again. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
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Step 2
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large pan. Gently fry the onion for 10 mins, stirring often.
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Step 3
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 190˚C/Gas 5. Strip the papery husk off the sweetcorn and cut the kernels off (keeping the cobs). Scrub and chop the potatoes (no need to peel) into bite-sized chunks. Drain the carlin peas. Slice 1 chilli into thin rings, then deseed and finely dice the other.
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Step 4
Stir the peppers, sweetcorn kernels and cobs, potato, chowder spice mix, garlic and chilli rings (to your taste) into the onion. Stir in 800ml of water. Season. Bring to a low boil. Cook for 10 mins, while you continue.
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Step 5
Line a baking tray with baking parchment (unless you have a really good non-stick one). Chop 2 tortillas into large triangle shapes (6 each) and toss in a large bowl in enough oil (approx. 1 tbsp) to lightly coat. Lay them on the tray, sprinkle with cheese and a little diced chilli. Set aside.
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Step 6
Chop the parsley. Add the carlin peas and the cream to the saucepan. Simmer for 5 mins or so, until the potatoes are tender. This is your chowder. Lightly crush some of the potatoes at the end for a thicker sauce, if you like.
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Step 7
Pop the tortillas in the oven. Bake for approx. 5 mins, keeping a good eye on them, until crisp and the cheese melted.
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Step 8
Stir ½ the parsley into the chowder. Season well to taste. Serve, garnished with remaining parsley and any leftover chilli (if you like), with the tortilla triangles.