This corn soup is a little like a spicy chowder. I came across a recipe using cream cheese and added this to a basic vegetable soup with extra sweetcorn and a spoonful of our Mexican mild spice. The result was very popular! Try adding some prawns to the basic recipe. serves 4-6
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp each ground cumin, smoked paprika & oregano OR 1/2 packet our Mexican mild blend
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 sweet potato, 1 red pepper, 2 sticks celery, all finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large tin sweetcorn, drained
1 tbsp corn flour
1 packet cream cheese
250g peeled cooked prawns (optional)
to serve: grated cheese and tortilla chips
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion until soft.
Add the spices, garlic, carrot, celery, sweet potato and pepper and cook for a few minutes.
Stir in the corn flour, then add the stock and bring to the boil.
Add the sweet corn and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Roughly blend the soup to your preferred consistency (somewhere between lumpy and smooth), then add the cream cheese and stir until it has melted into the sauce.
Add the prawns at the same time, if using.
Serve piping hot with a spoonful of cheese in each bowl and some tortilla chips or bread on the side.