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Fragrant Corn Chowder

Fragrant Corn Chowder

Ingredients

20 gr unsalted butter
200 ml double cream
300 ml full fat milk
2 shallots, diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 celery stick, diced
1 large potato
4 corns on the cob
20ml of Citizen of Soil extra virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme or rosemary
large pinch of smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

Time to welcome the cosy season with a steaming bowl of goodness!

This recipe comes to us from the 2023 Green Michelin Star winning restaurant championing all things seasonal and sustainable—Apricity in Mayfair. With this steaming bowl of chowder, their team says "Adieu!" to summer salads and welcomes the arrival of luscious, harvest-time dishes like this one. It will pair beautifully with any punchy extra virgin olive oil like our Spanish one or Croatian ones.

Here's the method:

Serves 3-4

Grab a sharp knife and remove all the corn kernels from the cob.
In the first pan, infuse the milk and cream with the bay leaf, thyme and corn cobs on medium heat while you prepare the rest of the veggies.
In the second pan, melt the butter until foamy and add all the diced vegetables. Sweat them off—without letting them lose their colour!
After 6-8 minutes, strain the milk and cream into the pan with vegetables. There, add a generous pinch of smoked paprika. Cover and simmer away.
Once the chowder is thick and rich and the potatoes soft, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot with a thick slice of sourdough and a big glug of EVOO!

Ways to make it more your own:

Those feeling a little adventurous could add some prawns toward the end.
Frying the vegetables in a spoonful of white miso paste would add some lovely umami flavours.

Are you making this? Share with your fellow citizens. Tag us in your photos on Instagram at @CitizensofSoil.

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FAQs about olive oil brands and quality

They certainly can be! But it’s always important to consider why they’re expensive. If the higher price reflects early harvest olives, small-batch production, regenerative farming, and fair wages for farmers, then yes – you're likely getting a high-quality product that’s better for your health, the environment, and the industry. But sometimes, the price tag just reflects good branding and fancy packaging. Always look for real indicators of quality like harvest date, origin transparency, proper packaging, and clear production practices to know if it’s truly worth the splurge.
The best way to tell if you have a bottle of real extra virgin olive oil—and not just labeled that way—is to look for transparency and pay close attention to the details. Quality EVOO will list a harvest date (not just an expiration date), come in a dark glass or tin container, and specify the origin. Avoid vague blends and flashy marketing claims without substance. And most importantly, taste it: legitimate extra virgin olive oil should be fruity, bitter and peppery—not flat or greasy. Your palate is often the best judge
One of the biggest culprits is the term ‘first cold pressed’, which might sound impressive but doesn't define the modern extra virgin olive oil making process or the product's quality. Also look for the harvest date. If you only see an expiration or “best before”, it's more likely the olive oil quality isn't as good. Also pay attention to vague origins like ‘EU blend’. While this might sound romantic, it's a strong indicator that olive oil quality is not top notch. Long story short: true quality comes from transparency, not trendy marketing, so always look beyond branding.