Sweetcorn Soup

Corn kernels make a great soup base and their sweet, gentle flavour allows you to dress this dish up in lots of ways. You can be very New England and serve it chowder-style with crisp bacon, or for an elegant dinner party offer guests a chilled purée enriched with pieces of lobster, crab or prawns.

Fresh corn is best, but frozen works perfectly well. Remember, though, that it is already part-cooked and needs little further cooking — certainly never as much as the packet says. You ca