Peanut & Sweetcorn Chowder

The boy will love this. He likes most soups and will appreciate the thickness of a good American chowder. This recipe is from the deep south and comes from a book I picked up in a thrift store in California.

½ cup chopped onion

2tbsp groundnut oil

2 17oz (2x 400g) cans of creamed sweetcorn

½ cup crunchy peanut butter

1 cup milk

1tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 cup mature cheddar, grated

I have been longing to try this recipe – there is something earthy about it. Try a Chinese grocer for the creamed sweetcorn if you can’t easily find it. I’m buying the peanut butter especially for this as the boy prefers smooth so that’s all we have at home. I’m going for Whole Earth Brand, as I think it’s good- you can see the peanut skins flecked through. American peanut butter is often sweetened so it may need a pinch of sugar to make it taste right. The creamed sweetcorn may be enough though. Get the boy to taste it and decide.

Sauté the onions, without browning. When soft, stir in the cans of creamed sweetcorn and peanut butter. Much stirring. Keep going until it starts to bubble and thicken. Stir in all the other ingredients, reducing the heat slightly. The only liquid is from the cans of sweetcorn and the milk, so you may need another splash of water.

The boy will love you forever if you serve this with cheese straws.

350g frozen puff pastry

3 handfuls grated parmesan

1 handful grated mature cheddar
A decent pinch Cayenne

 1 handful flour to stop things sticking

Let the frozen pastry unfreeze. Roll it out, using the flour if you need it. It should be as thick as a pound coin. Scatter most of the cheese over. Cut  into strips and twist each one 3 or 4 or times. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Cook in a hot oven for 12 minutes.

I think this dish is from Georgia. What I do know is that he loves it. Sweet and earthy. Turns out he has never seen Gone With the Wind. Going to fix that.