But what this weather does for me is make me crave all kinds of warm hearty things… and above all soup! I almost never want to make soup during the summer, when all I want is a salad. But now, I want to tuck into something that feels just as cosy as the hot water bottle currently residing somewhere near my toes… which are covered in thick socks.

Now, this soup isn’t just warm and cosy, but it’s actually good for you! As I mentioned in a previous post about cooking with these bad boys, Jerusalem artichokes are full of inulin, which is amazing for your gut bacteria… just not for your dignity. They call them fartichokes after all. And that’s not the only part of this soup which is healthy – celeriac is too! I mean, it’s definitely not the prettiest vegetable to look at (seriously, it’s not winning any vegetable beauty contests) but celeriac is full of dietary fibre, minerals, and vitamins! With these two as the main ingredients in a soup, you’ll feel better in more ways than one. And seeing as how they are both currently in season, why not try this recipe this weekend?

Fun fact, we actually grew Jerusalem artichokes this summer, by accident. Turns out we missed some of the plant we dug up last year, and covered it with our new composter. Now we can’t properly dig the rest up, and so we will forever have Jerusalem artichokes growing by our composter. Which is great news for me, but not so for Richard. His gut seems to go particularly crazy when he has Jerusalem artichokes… which isn’t something he likes too much.

Now I really liked the flavour of this soup, as it’s very different from anything else I’ve ever had. Celeriac has a definite celery taste (obviously), and combined with the nutty Jerusalem artichoke, it was quite unique. I seasoned it a bit less than most things I make, as I really wanted those two flavours to shine through. Normally I go crazy with tons of garlic… mmm garlic… **insert drooling here**

One other thing I tried, was making this dairy-free. I’ve always struggled with digesting lots of fats, especially dairy, and have been trying to reduce the amount I consume. I used some single soya instead of cream to thicken the soup, and you couldn’t really tell the difference! So if you happen to be vegan, or trying to introduce vegan recipes into your life, you can easily switch some ingredients here to make it work for you.

And that’s it! It’s a really simple soup to make, and pairs quite well with my customary garlic sourdough bread… mmmmm… gotta love a big warm bowl of soup, and some crunchy garlicky toast! Perfect for this recent cold snap!

Earlier this week, I posted about our unusual squid ink salmon burgers and mentioned that we ate them with some roasted Jerusalem artichokes. I promised a recipe, and gosh darn it, I will deliver!

Before moving here, I had never heard of Jerusalem artichokes (also called sunchokes) even though they have been called, at times, Canadian Potatoes or Canadian Truffles! How did I not know of these in Canada? Now that I know about them, I’m thinking we may try to grow some in our allotment. That is if our stomachs can get used to them… some people call them fartichokes. (No joke!)

Ricard was quite uncomfortable the day after we had them for the first time, as he ate more than me. Apparently, they contain high levels of inulin, which you can’t digest, but it is eaten by the bacteria in your colon – good for feeding the nice bacteria, but it can be a bit of an overload if you’re not used to them (serious bloating). So if you do try these, don’t go eating the whole batch at once, you’ve been warned!

However, I like the unusual, somewhat sweet/nutty flavor, and that they’re high in iron and low in starch. A fun alternative to the humble potato, and perfect with a tangy, garlic aioli! As they are in season right now, go see if you can find them! I’ve managed to get them at the Borough Market (handy since I work there) but first read about them in Waitrose’s magazine. I imagine some of their larger stores will carry them.

The only downside to Jerusalem artichokes, besides the flatulence that is, is that they take more effort to prepare than roasted potatoes. (Although, unlike potatoes, you can eat these raw!) It’s best to boil them first, and then roast them, in order to get them nice and crispy. So if you’re planning on doing these for a weeknight meal, do what I did, and boil them the day before.

Oh, and about that aioli? Try and make sure that you use a good oil. It doesn’t have to be olive oil (try any mild flavored oil) but if you do use it, make sure to get a good olive oil. The first time we did this recipe it was amazing, but the second ended up being a tad bitter as our new oil wasn’t very good. Feel free to experiment with the spices and garlic too – I always do. If strong garlic isn’t your thing, try roasted garlic, or garlic-flavored oil!

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Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes with Paprika and Lemon Aioli

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 snack sizes

Ingredients

• 500 g Jerusalem artichokes washed no need to peel
• 200 ml olive oil
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp whole grain mustard
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 lemon zest
• 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

• Halve or quarter your artichokes into fingers about 2cm thick. Cook in salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes, until soft but not falling apart. Drain and allow to dry.
• While artichokes are drying, preheat oven to 200°C (392°F).
• Toss the artichokes in 100 ml of the oil, and arrange on a tray in a single layer. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, and roast for 45-50 minutes, tossing halfway through, until crispy.
• While the artichokes are roasting, prepare the aioli.
• Using a hand blender, or food processor, blend the egg yolk with the mustard, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt. Add the remaining oil in a thin stream, while blending, until spoonably thick (you might not need all).
• Add the lemon zest and juice, a little at a time, until satisfied. (If the aioli is too bitter, try adding more salt.) Sprinkle in some paprika, and loosen with a little water if desired.
• Once the artichokes are roasted, season with paprika, toss, and serve.

Notes

Make sure to use good quality olive oil, to prevent it tasting bitter. Or, use any other mild flavored oil.