Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

Jerusalem Artichokes are one of the few truly seasonal vegetables still available in the shops.  I love them.  So much that when I see the first Jerusalem Artichokes in the shops (about November, usually) I actually do a little dance in the supermarket aisle.

No, really.

They are nearly finished for this year, but you CAN still get them - just.  And they make the most delicious soup!

Place the artichokes whole and unpeeled into cold water and bring to the boil.  Simmer for 30-40 minutes - until you can stick a sharp knife into them and they feel soft in the middle.

Drain and refresh in cold water, or you'll burn your fingers on the next bit.

Slit the skin of the artichoke lengthways, and peel it back - there is a layer of tough flesh about 1mm thick under the skin.  This will come away with the skin.  They should look like this:

Finely chop a medium sized onion and sautee in butter or olive oil.  Slice the artichokes into disks and add to the onions, turning up the heat to caramelise the artichokes slightly.  Add really good chicken stock and simmer until the artichokes can be mashed in the pan with a fork.

Blend in the pan with a handheld blender until perfectly smooth.  You could, if you wanted to be cheffy, push it through a sieve for a velvety texture, but - meh...  Life's too short, in this house!

Serve with a swirl of cream and some crispy lardons.

Beware the farty side-effects - you probably don't want to have this for lunch if you're meeting your prospective in-laws for the first time in the evening, for example...  I reckon it's worth it, otherwise, though!