Sweetcorn Soup

Sweetcorn brings back memories of lazy afternoon lunches after school, straight out the pot sprinkled with salt and lashings of butter.  We poked forks into the ends to serve as handles, and tried hopelessly not to get a face full of the melted butter.  These of course are always best eaten outside under the trees on a hot summers day, or sitting in the sun on a warm winters day. 

 

So on reading various recipes to make sweetcorn soup, I found this the best for us. However I had to adapted it for my daughter who has gluten and dairy allergies. I used margarine instead of the butter. The cream (50ml) was only added into my bowl and we shaved some goats Parmesan cheese over hers for flavour.

 

Sweetcorn Soup

Serves 2

 

Ingredients

 3 Cobs of fresh sweetcorn

1 litre of chicken stock

40g butter/margarine

1 small leek finely chopped

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

100ml cream

Popcorn kernels

Oil

Small basil leaves

 

Method

1. Cut the sweetcorn off the cobs using a sharp knife.
2. Bring the stock to a boil and keep it simmering gently. I use homemade stock but you can use store bought chicken or vegetable stock.
3. Melt the butter in a heavy based saucepan, add the leeks and garlic and sauté over a medium heat. Stirring all the time until the leeks are translucent. 
4. Add the sweetcorn and the bay leaf and cook for a few minutes, season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the stock to the sweetcorn mixture, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the corn is tender.
6. Stir in the cream and remove from the heat.
7. Blend the soup in a blender, and then pass through a sieve into a large saucepan.
8. Pop the popcorn in a little oil and set aside.
9. Reheat the soup gently when ready to serve.
10. Garnish with the popcorn and small basil leaves.

 

 



Mealie Bread

Come summer time, good weather and relaxing weekends, we like to braai (BBQ) a lot.  Boerewors, lamb chops, steak, chicken, ribs, salads, potato bake and of course mealie bread. What would a braai be without mealie bread?  Hum...not sure!

As soon as it comes out the pan it is literally finished before your very eyes. Some like it with butter, some like it plain, but whichever way you like it, it is fabulous.  And there's no kneading involved. If you are lucky enough to have some left the next day, it makes really good toast.  Here's the recipe for you.

Ingredients

 

2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg

1 tin sweetcorn (410g)

salt & pepper

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

 

1.  Heat oven to 180 degrees C.

2. Grease and flour a loaf pan.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper.

4. Add 3/4 of a cup grated cheddar cheese and mix.

 

 

5. Add the egg and sweetcorn and mix in well.

 

 

6. Place in the greased loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top.

7. Bake for about 1 hour until cooked through.

 

 

 

Note: If you can't get sweetcorn, use plain corn and mix with a bit of milk until you get a dough like consistency.

 

Variations

Add garlic, chilli or herbs.