Christmas Starters and Sides

Sweetcorn Soup

Serves 4

Despite having just a few simple ingredients — things you probably have on hand — this soup is bursting with flavour and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

• 785g (1.7 lb) fresh or frozen corn kernels (from 6 to 8 ears) or 785g (1 lb) drained and canned corn, plus more to garnish
• 1 (about 310g/11 oz) onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 large fresh rosemary sprigs
• 720ml (1.2 pints) vegetable broth
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 60ml (2 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
• Toasted salted corn nuts, fresh lime juice, and fresh basil, coriander or parsley to garnish

1 In a large pot, combine the corn, onion, garlic, rosemary, and broth, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes to allow the flavours to meld. Remove the pot from the heat, let the soup cool for about 15 minutes, and discard the rosemary.

Transfer the soup to a blender. With the blender running on medium-high, gradually add the olive oil and blend for about 30 seconds to fully incorporate the oil. (Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do this in batches. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to blend in the pot.) Leave the soup a bit chunky or continue blending to give it a smoother consistency if you prefer.