Corn Chowder with Pineapple Salsa

I know it's supposed to be spring - come on, it's April 1! - but at least here, it's still pretty cold. So, rather than something light and cooling (say, a gazpacho?), let me offer you a warming corn chowder. It's real simple to make, and the pineapple salsa brightens it, making it suitable for the season.

Corn Chowder with Pineapple Salsa
(printable recipe)
serves about 3 - a little more or a little less depending on how hungry you are

1 medium yellow onion
1 garlic clove
2 small carrots
2 potatoes, medium
300 g corn (canned is fine)
1 tsp sambal oelek
1/2-1 tbsp olive oil
cumin
ancho chili
coriander (ground)
7-800 ml water
1 tsp white wine vinegar
salt, sugar (optional)
vegetable stock cube (optional)
1-2 tbsp crème fraîche (optional)

Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Fry in the olive oil in a pot large enough to hold the soup, on medium heat. It should soften but not brown.

Dice the potatoes and the carrots. Add the carrots to the pot and let them fry for a few minutes. Next, add the corn, sambal oelek, cumin, ancho chili and coriander, and fry for a few more minutes.

Then add the potatoes and water - enough to just cover. Add a vegetable stock cube if you feel like it - it'll add extra flavor, but isn't necessary. Bring to a boil, then cover with a lid and lower the heat. Let the soup simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are completely soft.

Blend the soup - using a blender or an immersion blender - and add more water if it's too thick. Stir in the crème fraîche, if using (it'll make it a bit milder and rounder in flavor) and season with salt, sugar and white wine vinegar.

Serve with the pineapple salsa, and more crème fraîche if you'd like. (I always like.)

Pineapple salsa
a small can of crushed pineapple
2 medium tomatoes, seeds removed, finely diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
splash of white wine vinegar
salt, black pepper

Let the pineapple drain in a sieve, and if the tomatoes seem watery, let them drain off a bit too. Place the onion in a bowl and combine with a splash of vinegar for about 15 minutes. Mix in the pineapple and tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper.

Recipe in Swedish:
Värmande majs & morotssoppa med ananassalsa