Prawn, pumpkin and corn chowder

This simple soup recipe is easy to whip up and helps you towards your daily vegetable intake.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbs light margarine
• 600g peeled and deveined raw medium king prawns, tails intact
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 500g peeled, seeded butternut pumpkin, chopped
• 4 cobs sweetcorn, husks and silks removed, kernels sliced
• 1.5 litres salt-reduced chicken stock
• 2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

1. Melt half the margarine in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium–high heat. Add the prawns and cook, tossing, for 4–5 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and season with freshly ground black pepper, then cover to keep warm.    
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Melt the remaining margarine in the pan, then add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin, corn and stock and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.   
3. Transfer half the mixture to an upright blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pan. Stir well to combine and season with freshly ground black pepper.    
4. Divide the chowder among serving bowls and top with the prawns and any juices. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

This is an edited extract from CSIRO Protein Plus by Dr Jane Bowen, Grant Brinkworth and Genevieve James-Martin, published by Pan Macmillan.