Fresh Sweetcorn Soup with Chermoula and Burnt Corn Salsa

Hold the corn over a baking tray then the Strip the kernels from the corn by cutting them off with a sharp knife, staying as close to the core as possible. Chop the cores into small pieces using the heal of the knife, taking care is it can be very tough. Place the cores into a large pan, cover with 2.5 litres water, add the stock cube and bring up to the boil. Turn down to a simmer whilst you make the base.

Place a large pan on a medium to high heat and when hot, add the olive oil, onions, garlic and ¼ tsp salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then turn the heat down a little and cook for another 10 minutes until soft, golden and sweet. Add 3 tbsp of Chermoula and cook for 2 minutes. Reserve 2 handfuls of corn kernels for later then add the rest to the pan, season with salt and cook for 2 minutes, scraping any caramelised bits off the base of the pan.

Strain the stock through a colander then add 2/3 of the liquid to the corn. Bring up to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or use a stick blender and blend until smooth. This can take 3-4 minutes as the corn is quite fibrous. If using a liquidiser allow the soup to cool a little before blending. Once the consistency is correct, taste and add more salt and pepper as required, then add a final ½ tbsp of the chermoula and blitz through.

To make the garnish, heat a frying pan on a high heat and when hot, add the remaining sweetcorn and dry fry till dark, almost burnt, all over. Mix in a small bowl with the red onion, chilli and herbs. Melt the butter in a small pan. To serve, divide the hot soup between bowls, drizzle with butter then scatter the garnish over the top.