Name: Corn and Potato Chowder with garlic and herb croutons
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: FOR THE CHOWDER; 1 medium onion chopped; 1 peeled and cubed potato; 2 sticks of celery chopped; 1 small green pepper; 30 ml / 2 tbsp oil; 2 tbsp / 25g butter or margarine; 600 ml / 2½ cups water or stock; salt and pepper to taste; 300 ml / 1¼ cups milk; 200 g canned cannellini or butter beans; 300 g frozen (fresh or canned corn); Grated cheddar cheese to serve; FOR THE GARLIC AND HERB CROUTONS; ¼ loaf of bread cut into 3cm / 2 inch cubes; 30 ml / 2 Tablespoons olive oil; 30 g margarine; 2 cloves of garlic (crushed); 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs; ½ teaspoon crushed dried chilli flakes

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Hearty corn and potato chowder with garlic and herb croutons makes a warming dinner. It is actually a creamy, chunky soup and has the sweet taste of corn. It is a bit different from a soup which has a smoother consistency, and these divine garlic and herb croutons add a wonderful crunch to the chowder.

Whenever I make this chowder, I put half of it into a blender to form a smoother, creamier mix. I then add the chunkier half to the blended mixture to give the soup some texture. This also makes the golden pieces of corn and green bits of celery stand out brighter and better.

How to make the chowder

Okay, to start making the chowder, add chopped onion,potato,celery and pepper with oil and butter into a large heavy pot. Add crushed garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Pour 2½ cups of water into the pot. You can add stock instead of water, but I prefer using water. I feel that the stock alters the flavours of the vegetables in the chowder. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. Add 1¼ cups of milk, a 200g can of cannellini or butter beans,and 300g of corn kernels. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

To make the croutons, start by simmering 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine, 2 crushed cloves of garlic, ¼ teaspoon of dried mixed herbs and a ¼ teapoon of crushed chillies in a pan. Allow this to simmer just until the butter or margarine has melted. Remove from the heat and allow the flavours to infuse while you chop up your bread.

How to make the garlic and herb croutons

You will need about a ¼ loaf of bread cut up into 3cm / 2 inch cubes. It's a good idea to leave the crust on the bread, because it will give the croutons some extra crunch. Drizzle or roll the bread cubes in the seasoned oil until evenly coated. Spread the coated cubes of bread onto a baking sheet and bake at 180°C for about 10-15 minutes. The bread cubes can also be tossed around in a frying pan on medium heat, if you do not want to use the oven. Just ensure that you move them around in the pan every few minutes, so that they do not burn.

Remove the croutons from the oven toss a few into the chowder. Top with grated cheese and freshly ground black pepper and serve, and breathe, see ,that took just half an hour to prepare! ENJOY ♥