Recipe Jerusalem artichoke, carrot & walnut soup

[Morning Glory]

It doesn’t get much simpler; three ingredients, no fine chopping, no frying. Jerusalem artichokes are a delicate affair. Their appearance belies them. These knobbly rustic looking roots have a subtle earthy flavour, not unlike the completely unrelated globe artichoke. You can peel them if you choose. That is the most complicated part of the recipe. But you could simply scrub them, leaving the skin intact. Carrots add sweetness to the soup and a little colour. Its important to use the correct ratio. Too many carrots will swamp the delicate artichokes. The soup has a pleasant ‘mouth feel’ despite the fact it has no added cream. The walnuts lend their natural oil to provide that. Approx. 200 Kcals per portion.

Ingredients (serves 2 -makes approx.1 pt/ ½ litre)
300g Jerusalem artichokes, cut into chunks if large
200g carrots, chopped into chunks the same size as the artichokes
8 walnut halves
Salt to taste
Optional topping:
Chopped walnuts, parsley, mild chilli flakes

Method

1. Place the artichokes, carrots and walnuts in a large saucepan.
2. Cover with cold water (add just enough water to cover the vegetables).
3. Heat the pan and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. The walnuts will swell up and soften, making them easy to blend.
4. Blend the soup to a smooth consistency. I used a stick blender.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

This is a beautiful transformation of humble ingredients. I like how you kept the focus on the carrots. I’d probably add seasoning to give it a specific flavor (there are so many places you can take a simple recipe like this), but your restraint seems like the best option,

As you simmer, is there any need to add water to the pan? I’m wondering if there’s a risk of evaporating too much water, since it starts with just enough water to cover the vegetables.

 

[Morning Glory]

This is a beautiful transformation of humble ingredients. I like how you kept the focus on the carrots. I’d probably add seasoning to give it a specific flavor (there are so many places you can take a simple recipe like this), but your restraint seems like the best option,

As you simmer, is there any need to add water to the pan? I’m wondering if there’s a risk of evaporating too much water, since it starts with just enough water to cover the vegetables.

The 'just enough water to cover' is specified so that all the cooking liquid is used in the soup. It will reduce a bit, but simmered gently it should be fine. Obviously if it starts to reduce drastically you could add a bit more water.