Jerusalem Artichoke Soup Jamie Oliver Recipes

SAUTéED JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES WITH GARLIC AND BAY LEAVES

Steps:

• Jerusalem artichokes are sweet and almost garlicky and mushroomy and gorgeous. Although called artichokes they're actually tubers - like rough and ready potatoes. You can scrub and roast them whole like mini jacket potatoes and split them open, drizzled with a little chilli oil. You can even use them in a salad with smoky bacon. A Jerusalem artichoke's best friends are sage, thyme, butter, bacon, bay, cream, breadcrumbs, cheese and anything smoked.
• To serve 4, you will need 600g/1lb 6oz of Jerusalem artichokes. Peel them, then cut them into chunks. Place them in an oiled frying pan and fry on a medium heat until golden on both sides, then add a few bay leaves, 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced, a splash of white wine vinegar, some salt and pepper, and place a lid on top. After about 20 to 25 minutes they will have softened up nicely and you can remove the lid and the bay leaves. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes to crisp the artichoke slices up one last time, then serve straight away. Personally, I think they go well with both meat and fish and are particularly good in a plate of antipasti, or in soups or warm salads.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• I brought a handful of Jerusalem Artichokes home from the market, washed and roasted them (skin and all) in the oven with a simple drizzle of olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. I cooked them all the way through as I would a baked potato. I tried roasting them a second time replacing the olive oil with hazelnut oil for even tastier results. Now, the vegetable risks to take over my produce life as I know it! I cut some into thin rounds, fried them and sprinkled them over an arugula salad. Delicious. I thought I had reached my peak with these preparations until I tasted this soup...The combination of roasting and stewing them yields a complex flavor.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Place 1/2 the Jerusalem artichokes on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the tray in the center of the oven and cook until they are completely yielding when pierced with the tip of a knife, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, slice the rest of the Jerusalem artichokes in 1/2-inch thick slices. Heat a medium pot and add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the thyme and the Jerusalem artichokes slices and stir to blend the ingredients. Check the seasoning. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes and add 4 cups water.
• Cook until the Jerusalem artichokes are completely tender, 25 to 30 minutes. If the liquid reduces too much during this cooking time, add the remaining 1 cup water. Remove the roasted ones from the oven, quarter them and add them directly to the soup mixture. Taste for seasoning.
• Remove the thyme from the pot. Add the cream. Puree the soup in small batches in the blender (or a hand blender) until smooth. For a more "rustic" texture, puree only 1/2 and leaving the other 1/2 "chunky." Serve with crusty sourdough or a seeded bread to bring out the naturally nutty flavor of the soup.
• Serving suggestion: Crusty sourdough bread or seeded bread.

BAKED JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES WITH BREAD CRUMBS, THYME AND LEMON

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 230C/450F.Gas 8. In a bowl mix together your creme fraiche, lemon juice, garlic, half the thyme and most of the Parmesan, and season well to taste. Thin out with around 6 to 8 tablespoons of water and throw in the sliced Jerusalem artichokes. Mix well and place everything in an ovenproof baking dish. Cover with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes.
• Mix the bread crumbs, the remaining thyme and some salt and pepper with a touch of olive oil. Remove the artichokes from the oven, discard the foil and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top. Then sprinkle the flavored bread crumbs over the Parmesan. Use up all the bread crumbs. Bake in the oven for about15 minutes until the bread crumbs are golden. If you're in a pokey pokey kind of mood you can poke the artichokes about a bit so some of the bread crumbs fall underneath them. This makes it look more rustic instead of like a crumble.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP WITH CRISPY SAGE LEAVES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the leek and onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the Jerusalem artichokes, water and salt and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat, cover and simmer until the artichokes are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer the mixture to a blender and process until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Gently reheat before serving.
• To crisp the sage leaves, heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and sauté until just crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Garnish each serving with a couple of the sage leaves.