Jerusalem artichokes (the French call them Topinambours!)are lovely at the moment.  They should beused as soon as possible after picking to get the best flavour.  If you’ve never tried them, they taste a bit like a very tasty potato with a soft, less starchy texture.  Here, they team beautifully and easily with celeriac to make a velvety, comforting soup for 4.

1 medium onion, diced

1 small celeriac, about 300g, peeled and diced

450g Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and diced

Half a teaspoon ground coriander

Quarter teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Half a teaspoon sea salt

Black pepper

25g butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1) Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan.  Fry the onion gently for a couple of minutes,then add the spices and other vegetables.

2) Stir-fry these over a medium heat until you start to see the vegetables browning a little and softening.

3) Add one litre of water and bring to the boil.

4) Lower the heat and allow this to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

5) Puree the soup with a blender wand or liquidiser and seasonto taste.  If you’re feeling flash you could finish with a swirl of soured cream and some chopped chives. 

Buy the ingredients for this recipe...