JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP

A-Z Soups

Maybe you have seen Jerusalem Artichokes in the market but didn’t know what to do with them. Confusion comes easy here. They have nothing to do with Jerusalem and they are not related to artichokes. Some greengrocers have taken to calling them Sunchokes.

Italian immigrants in the USA called the plant girasole (meaning: turning toward the sun) because it looked like the sunflower, and girasole got corrupted to Jerusalem.

You can make a nice creamy soup with Jerusalem artichokes and when you serve this to guests, sit back and take the compliments they are sure to issue.

Recipe from Cook’s Library Soups. Parragon Publishing, UK, 2003

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup                                             serves 6

Ingredients:

1. 1 pound of Jerusalem Artichokes
2. 2 teaspoons butter
3. 1 onion, chopped finely

4. ½ cup peeled and cubed rutabaga or turnip
5. 1 strip of peeled lemon zest (yellow part only)

6. 3 cups vegetable bouillon or stock
7. 3 tablespoons heavy cream
8. 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
9. 4 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts

Method:

• Peel the Jerusalem artichokes and cut into pieces
• Place in a bowl of cold water to prevent darkening
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium flame
• Put in onion and cook 3 minutes, stirring, until soft
• Drain the Jerusalem artichokes
• Put them in the saucepan along with the rutabaga and lemon zest
• Pour in the bouillon plus a little salt and pepper
• Stir and bring to a boil, then simmer 20 minutes until vegetables are tender
• Allow soup to cool slightly
• Puree in batches in an electric blender
• Return the soup to saucepan and stir in the cream
• Simmer for about 5 minutes to reheat
• Add the lemon juice and check the seasoning and adjust accordingly
• Ladle soup into bowls and place pine nuts atop.

Serve this Jerusalam artichoke soup (or Sunchoke soup if you prefer) now and brace yourself for the imminent praise, maybe even from as far away as Jerusalem.