Jerusalem artichoke soup

A week ago, I went to the Carp Christmas market on Friday night. It's a lovely spot in the daytime, but at night, it's a different experience altogether to walk around with snow falling softly overhead. There are few outdoor stands at this time of year, but those who brave the cold offer up a feast for the senses: piles of evergreen wreaths decorated with bows and bells, sturdy pine Christmas trees begging for ornaments, sizzling elk sausages plumping on the grill, crispy bacon piled high on squishy buns, spicy chili bubbling away in pots, and cups of sweet, cinnamony apple cider looking to warm both hands and bellies.

There were lots of Christmas crafts for sale, along with jars of jams and preserves, and some very good looking pies and other baked goods. There are also are a few farmers who come out to get rid of the last of their apples, turnips or root veggies. I came across one farmer selling Jerusalem artichokes and I decided to buy some.

If you've never had the pleasure of eating Jerusalem artichokes (sometimes called sunchokes) before, you should seek them out. They're almost a cross between water chesnuts and potatoes, and they have a slight nutty flavour. They're nice to roast, in the same manner you would with potatoes, and they're great in soups too. That's what I decided to do with mine.

Here they are. You can see they look like fingerling potatoes, or giner root. They're a real pain to peel, so I just cleaned them and chopped them up.

Here they are in the pot, browning with a potato.

And here's the final result, all blended and topped with some toasted walnuts. Yum!

Jerusalem artichoke soup

1 lb. (approx.) Jerusalem artichokes, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 large yellow-fleshed potato, peeled and chopped

4 large shallots, chopped (or use an onion and garlic, neither of which I happened to have)

4 c. or so of chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp. olive oil (approx.)

splash of cream (optional)

1. Start by adding the oil to a large soup pot. Once it shimmers, add the shallot, artichokes and potato and cook for about five minutes until the shallots have softened and become transluscent.

2. Add enough stock to cover the veggies. Cover and simmer until everything is soft -- about 20 minutes or so.

3. Remove soup from pot and place in blender to purify, or use an immersion blender to do the same. I found some of the skins remained and didn't get blended, but I didn't mind that. They tend to lend a grayish colour to the finished soup, but don't affect the taste at all.

4. Add some cream if you like, or leave as is. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with nuts of your choosing.