Chilled corn soup with drunken prawns and pumpkin seed oil

Preparation

Cut the kernels from the corn cobs. Place the cobs in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a gentle simmer.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan and gently cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent, without allowing them to colour. Add the corn kernels, season with salt, and pour in enough of the corn-cob cooking liquid to just cover the corn. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the corn is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Remove from the heat. Add the buttermilk and sour cream, then blend until smooth. Pass the soup through a fine sieve, pressing firmly to extract as much flavour as possible. Chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Bring a pot of well-salted water to the boil. Remove from the heat, add the prawns, and poach gently for 3–5 minutes. Drain and transfer the prawns to a bowl. Add the tequila, lime zest, and lime juice, then leave to marinate for at least 2 hours.

Divide the chilled soup among serving bowls. Top with the tequila-marinated prawns and garnish with cress, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil before serving.