Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

This is a very special recipe as it's actually my dad's creation. We ate this as a starter on Christmas Day and it was delicious. Dad described it as simple luxury, and I have to say I agree. This soup is really simple to make, but tastes delicious. You can posh it up a little by adding truffle oil, or leave it as is fr a cheap, cheerful and seasonal soup.

Yes Jerusalem artichokes are in season right now. Not to be confused with artichokes which are a summer crop. Jerusalem artichokes are a vegetable that often gets overlooked, their bumpy brown appearance means they don't stand out on the shelves, but they have a deep earthy nutty flavour which I love. When transformed into soup they are super creamy, but you can also roast them which is delicious.

I love eating seasonally, you get to try vegetables you probably wouldn't otherwise. Especially in Winter when our classic veg are mostly out of season here in the UK. This forces you to experiment, and low and behold you end up with some wonderful creations. Like this hearty soup that my dad whipped up in the bleak midwinter. Jerusalem Artichokes are in season until March, so catch me slurping this all winter long!

Thanks to my dad for kindly gifting me this recipe, I don't think I say enough on here how much I appreciate my dad. He's literally my biggest supporter when it comes to this blog, he's always throwing me ideas, or helping me realise my own. I honestly couldn't have done it without him!

A quick catch up on whats been going on in my life and what to expect from the blog this year. Well big changes are coming! I'm not ready to reveal all yet but expect some shakeups, including a website redesign. I also have a new job working with a cause I'm super passionate about. I also really want to work harder on this blog, because I have so many ideas for content and I feel like this year I really want to throw myself into it. This blog has come a hell of a long way since I started it, nearly three years ago, but theres still so much more I want to do with it. I would love to hear any feedback about ideas or improvements you think I could make.

Now on with that creamy artichoke soup!

Serves 4 - 5

Ingredients

450-500g Jerusalem artichokes

1 white onion

2 cloves garlic

500ml vegetable stock

270ml vegan soya cream (I used this one)

A splash of olive oil infused with truffle (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Method

1) Peel the Jerusalem artichokes, and then place into a large pan of boiling water for around 20 minutes, until the artichokes are soft.

2) Finely dice the white onion and the garlic. In a frying pan soften the onion and garlic for around 5 minutes. You don't want the onions to brown, just to soften.

3) Add the softened onion, garlic and artichokes to a blender, along with half the stock. Blend until smooth. Add the remaining stock, and blend again until smooth and fully combined.

4) Pour the blended mixture into large sauce pan. Add the soya cream, salt and pepper and a splash of truffle oil if you are using it. Reheat the mixture gently, stirring as you go.

5) Once the soup is hot, pour into bowls and serve with a drizzle of truffle oil on top.