Jerusalem artichoke soup with caraway

Method
Prep:15min  ›  Cook:40min  ›  Ready in:55min 

1. Add the lemon juice to a bowl of cold water. Peel and slice the artichokes, adding them to the water as soon as they are cut. (Artichokes discolour quickly once peeled and exposed to air.)
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Drain the artichokes and add them to the saucepan with the celery, onion, carrots and garlic. Cover the pan and sweat the vegetables gently for 10 minutes or until softened.
3. Stir in the stock and caraway seeds. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Cool the soup slightly, then purée it in a blender until smooth or press it through a fine sieve. Alternatively, use a hand-held blender to purée the soup in the pan.
4. Return the soup to the pan, if necessary. Stir in the milk and cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reheat the soup very gently without allowing it to boil. Meanwhile, cut the carrot for garnish into short, fine julienne or matchstick strips. Serve the soup hot, garnishing each portion with carrot strips and a little chopped parsley.

Some more ideas

Use vegetable stock, preferably home-made rich instead of chicken stock. * For celeriac and parsnip soup, use 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) peeled and chopped celeriac instead of Jerusalem artichokes, and 2 chopped parsnips instead of carrots. Omit the celery. * Bacon is delicious with artichokes and other root vegetables. Cook 115 g (4 oz) rinded and chopped smoked back bacon in the butter, then remove with a draining spoon and set aside. Add the vegetables and continue as in the recipe. Sprinkle the bacon over the soup instead of carrot, together with wholemeal toast cut into croutons and chopped parsley. * For a substantial soup, spread a little mashed Stilton cheese on thick slices of French bread or ciabatta and toast until melted and bubbling, then float these in the soup just before serving.

Plus points

Jerusalem artichokes are a useful winter vegetable. Combining them with familiar roots, such as carrots, is a good way of introducing them to children and bringing variety to the diet. * Jerusalem artichokes contain compounds called fructoligosaccarides – a type of dietary fibre that stimulates friendly bacteria in the gut while inhibiting harmful bacteria.

Each serving provides

Good source of vitamin A, vitamin C. Useful source of calcium, potassium, vitamin B1.