Chicken sweetcorn and tarragon chowder

For lunch on a blustery autumnal day this is the perfect soup, warming, comforting and frugal. I love chowder recipes as even though the resultant soup is creamy and rich there is actually no cream in the recipe.

The double addition of potatoes are the secret to a great rib sticking chowder and this recipe came about as I had some tinned sweetcorn and cooked chicken left in the fridge.I had recently cooked a whole chicken in the slow cooker so I also had a small quantity of rich chicken stock as well.

Easy to throw together so why not have a go at making this lovely soup....

What you need

• 1 large white potato - peeled and diced. Retain 1/3 for later
• 1 large white onion - peeled and finely diced. Retain 1/3 for later
• chicken stock 
• Milk or water
• Tarragon - fresh a few leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tin of sweetcorn, drained, you could use fresh or frozen also
• Cooked chicken - shredded
• Salt and Pepper
• A little oil or butter

What you do 

• Heat a little oil in a large sauce pan and gently saute the 2/3rd's onion and potatoes until softened slightly
• Add chicken stock and milk or water to the pan until the is about 1/3 rd full of liquid, simmer until the vegetables are tender and the potatoes break up easily.
• Cool slightly then blend with a stick blender until you have a smooth liquid, you can add more liquid if necessary if the soup is very thick.
• Add the retained onions and potatoes to the pan and bring back to simmer and cook until the potato chunks are tender, add the drained sweetcorn, shredded chicken and tarragon to the pan, simmer for a couple of minutes to warm the chicken through.
• Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste
• Serve with warm crusty bread or traditional New England style with saltine crackers.

Back of the fridge frittata

This recipe came about by combination of wanting to use a few bits and bats that were hanging around in the fridge and the ongoing battle of egg mountain (i.e a recipe that uses plenty of eggs), so using a Spanish omelette as the basis the back of the fridge frittata was born.

Its a versatile forgiving recipe that can use a variety of ingredients and is frugal and filling, its also great to serve cold with salad in a lunchbox (As I have done on several occasions) or as tapas cut into bite size squares with olives with a glass of wine or beer.

What You need

• Onion - large finely chopped
• 1 tin of potatoes - drained (or quantity of cold leftover cooked potatoes) - sliced about the thickness of a £1 coin
• Salami or chorizo (if using)
• Red pepper / green peppers (could be out of a jar)
• Mushrooms (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• 6 eggs - whisked
• Olive oil

Large frying pan and pre heated grill (broiler for our US friends)

What you do

• Heat some olive oil in the frying pan over a medium heat
• Add the onions and cook gently until softened and add the chorizo
• Cook the peppers and mushrooms (if uncooked) in the same pan
• Now add the sliced potatoes, move around in the pan ensuring nothing is sticking
• Season with salt and pepper
• Pour over the eggs and cook until set around the sides
• Place under the pre heated grill until golden and bubbling
• Serve in generous wedges
• Or allow to cool and pack in the fridge for a quick snack or easy lunch dish.

Here it is served with a freshly picked salad from the garden, the salad contains rocket, spinach and mizuna. If you wanted to make this vegetarian just omit the chorizo and of course this is naturally gluten free. Courgette, aubergine or artichoke would also make tasty additions to the dish.