Corn and red pepper chowder

I was feeling a bit under the weather, had some bright red peppers that needed using, and a bag of corn in the freezer... that means corn chowder! It totally cheered me up, it's hearty, summery soup which looks so pretty in the sunshine.

• 1 large onion, roughly diced
• 2 red peppers, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 200g small waxy potatoes, chopped into bite sized chunks
• One 400g can or equivalent frozen sweetcorn
• 500 ml vegetable stock (ideally with Swiss Marigold)
• Sprigs of fresh parsley (optional)
• Natural yoghurt or sour cream (optional)

1. Reserve roughly a quarter of the sweetcorn.
2. Splash some oil into a large saucepan along with a knob of butter, and heat.
3. Fry off the chopped onions, then add the peppers and carrot for a few minutes until softened.
4. Make up your stock with boiling water and taste it to make sure it's tasty. The secret to any soup is a good stock.
5. Liquidise the remaining sweetcorn with a little bit of the stock, then add that and the rest of the stock to the pan. If it doesn't quite cover the vegetables add a splash more water.
6. Put on the lid and cook on a moderate heat until the potatoes are cooked (10-15 mins).
7. When it's ready, ladle chowder into bowls and garnish with a spoonful of natural yoghurt or cream, and a sprinkling of fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Variations

A handful of Quorn chunks adds protein to this dish.

Meat-eaters can use a good chicken stock and add flaked white fish.

Cool down with Spicy Beetroot Gazpacho

It's el scorchio in London, the hottest day of the year so far! Hankering for something cooling I made gazpacho with a slight difference - the earthy sweetness of beetroot, cooling cucumber, and the spicy kick of chili and garlic. Delicious!

• 1 tin of tomato passata/chopped tomatoes
• 2 cooked beetroot (pref not in vinegar)
• 1/4 stick of cucumber, roughly chopped
• 1 stick celery
• Pinch of salt
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 tsp tabasco (to taste)

1. Whiz up all the ingredients in a blender
2. Serve chilled with lots of ice.

Variations

Fresh tomatoes are actually best, but you need juicy red ones that you'll have to skin by immersing in hot water.

Roasted beetroot give the best flavour here as it really brings out their sweetness and reduces the earthiness.

Also wonderful with a slug of gin!

Roast butternut squash & tomato with bulgar wheat salad

Whilst cooking my lovely tagine the other day, I roasted some extra chunks of butternut squash, tossed with chilli powder and cinnamon, because it's great to have cold as a salad.

I also roasted some plum tomatoes, tossed the two together in sweet balsamic vinegar, and served with cold bulgar wheat which I'd cooked with a pinch of cumin. Dished up, I finished off with a generous squeeze of lemon juice and some chopped spring onions. Healthy, tasty and cool with a slight kick.

Also a nice picture I think! I'm trying to practice my food photography, with hot dishes I don't always have time!