Recipe: Chicken and Sweetcorn Chowder with Chorizo

This recipe has developed over 20 years. In the early vegetarian days I used to make a simple, creamy sweetcorn, leek and potato chowder.  The next step, after falling off the vegetarian wagon, was to add smokey bacon or ham.   These days it has become a carnivore's delight, with chicken AND chorizo.  (It has just occured to me that a smoked haddock version would be wonderful too).  The finished soup will have a rich, creamy, orange-tinted liquor.

• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
  
• 2 small leeks, diced
  
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 250g)
  
• half a chorizo sausage round, cut into chunks (about 100 g)
  
• small carton of double cream
• 2 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 cup of sweetcorn (fresh, canned or frozen)
• juice of half a lemon
• parsley
• tabasco
• slice of butter

Melt the butter in a pan, and add the potato and leeks and saute gently for 2 minutes.

Add the chopped chorizo and saute for another 2 minutes.

Cover the vegetables and chorizo with stock (about 2 cups should do it).  Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the chicken breasts, and continue to simmer (don't boil) for another 10 - 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked. You may need to add a little more stock or water to cover the chicken.  

When the chicken is cooked remove from the stock with a slotted spoon and cut into toothsome chunks.  While you are doing this add the sweetcorn to the broth and cook gently.

Finally add the chicken back to the soup, stir in the double cream and lemon juice.  Serve with chopped parsley, a slosh of tabasco and a chunk of wholemeal bread.