Vegetarian Corn Chowder, The Monday Soup

 This is a great option for Vegetarians.  It is very tasty and does not need the usual addition of bacon. I started making it years ago when we had two vegetarians living at home.  It suited everyone and no one missed the meat.  I still make it this way and we still love it.
Most of my soup bases contain a leek as it melts down during cooking and imparts a lovely flavour
The soup is cooked and then a white sauce is added to make it thick.  If you don't want to do this, add a little more water to the vegetables and put a little creme fraiche in each bowl when you serve it.




 Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 knob of butter (walnut size)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 leek, chopped (optional)
1-2 sticks of celery, chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
a sprig of fresh thyme of a pinch of dried thyme
water
vegetable stock cube

1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon flour
Salt and Pepper
1 cup milk
1 small tin of sweetcorn, drained

Method:

• Heat the oil and knob of butter in a saucepan and sweat the onion, celery and leek for 5 minutes.
• Add the potatoes, stock cube, herbs salt and pepper and enough water to cover the vegetables. 
• Bring to boil, turn the heat down and cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft but not mushy.
• In another pan, melt the tablespoon of butter, and make a roux with the flour.  Do not let it burn. 
• Add the cold milk and stir with a whisk until it begins to boil and gets thick. You now have a white sauce.
• Ladle a bit of the hot soup into the white sauce and then add the sauce to the soup.
• Put in the corn and cook until just heated.
• Garnish with chives or parsley if you wish.