Corn soup

Serves 4

This soup is sweet, crunchy and just a little spicy.

20g/¾oz unsalted butter
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 red chilli
2tsp sugar
4 ears of corn, kernels only
400ml/14fl oz water
Sea-salt and freshly ground black pepper
100ml/3fl oz crème fraîche

For the topping

1tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 ear of corn, kernels only
Half a red chilli, very finely chopped
A pinch of sea-salt
A small bunch of coriander, chopped

Put the butter in a pan, large enough to hold all the ingredients and place over a medium flame. Once it has melted, add the onion, celery and carrots and sweat for 10 minutes over a low heat until soft. Next add the chilli, sugar and kernels of corn. Stir and cook for a further 5 minutes. Pour in the water, turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Next purée the mix in a blender. Do this in two or three batches. Be careful not to purée too much at once as it will burn if it spills out. Pass through a chinois pressing down with a ladle to remove as much of the liquid as possible.

Return to the saucepan and heat over a gentle flame. Add the crème fraîche and stir to combine. Taste it – it should be sweet with a little heat and quite velvety in flavour. Add a little salt if necessary and set aside.

For the topping, in a non-stick frying pan, add the oil and place over a hot flame. Get the pan really hot and add the corn kernels and chilli. Cook without turning until the corn begins to pop, allow to turn a golden brown. Add a generous pinch of salt and the chopped coriander. Divide the soup into bowls. Spoon the warm garnish in and serve.