Every season has its own smells. Better yet, every month has its own scents.
For instance, January calls for crisp air that smells like snow and scented bowls of piping hot, creamy soup. Like this one of Jerusalem artichokes.
I like to combine the flavors of the seasonal garden and make a dish with few ingredients, simple and maybe chic&cheap (in short, a good dish, nice to look at but cheap).
In my kitchen are welcome all kind of soups among minestre, zuppe or vegetable, creamy vellutate of the Italian traditions.
I find them light and comforting. Easy to make but interesting. Rustic but, sometimes, yet elegant. They are perfect for many occasions. Pure comfort food for body and soul.
I made Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with no eggs, milk or cream.
To make it thick and creamy I used a potato (which cooks with other vegetables). I can say that this is, almost always, my only secret ingredient to make every soup creamy.
A light recipe for the everyday menu and, in my opinion, also suitable for a rustic but elegant table.
What do you think about starting cooking?
Good winter cooking, Monica
Food Tips
An healthier alternative to the onion crumbs are crunchy, baked kale strips. Ready in few minutes, they’re delicious. Here is the method: wash and dry well -with a sheet of Kitchen paper- 2 big kale leaves. Cut into little stripes, place on a baking tray brushing them with a bit of olive oil. Cook in preheated oven (190Celsius degrees) for just 3 minutes until crunchy. Season with a bit of salt after baking. It’s possible to cook it also in a pan.
You can add colour to the Jerusalem artichokes velvet by adding 1 teaspoon of curry paste or turmeric or saffron.
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Onion Crumbs
serves 4
Jerusalem artichoke, 320g
potatoes, yellow paste, 250g
shallot, 1 (you can also use onion or leek)
vegetable stock, 1 litre
1 tablespoon of olive oil + 20 g butter
salt q.b.
crunchy onion
1 yellow onion, not too big
cornflour to taste
a pinch of salt
Directions
Peel and dice the potatoes and set them aside.
Clean the Jerusalem artichoke by removing the outer skin with a knife or potato peeler. Rinse under water, cut into cubes and set aside.
Finely slice the shallot after removing the skin and the inner part, the green one, then put it to brown in a pot with high edges, over low heat, with oil, butter and a pinch of salt.
Add a ladle of broth, stir and add the potatoes. Cook for a couple of minutes before adding the Jerusalem artichoke. Stir again and after a minute add all the stock and a pinch of coarse salt (as for the cooking water of the pasta).
Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
In the meantime prepare the crispy, almost fried onion crumbs that you have to clean, slice and chop. Dip the onion crumbs in the corn flour and add a pinch of salt. Cook in a pan with olive oil until golden and crunchy. Place the crumbs on a sheet of baking paper and set aside.
When vegetables are soft, turn the heat off, blend with minipimer, adjust of salt if necessary.
Leave to rest two minutes before serving or store the pan covered with vellutata in the fridge.
Place it in the holsters, add onion crumbs and sprinkle, if you want, with grated pecorino or Parmigiano.
Chitchatting
Soup Recipes in Italian Cuisine
When in Italy you can eat three different kind of soups. In order to understand the main differences between soup, minestra and vellutata, check out HERE.
In short, minestra is made always with pasta or rice also; zuppa with bread and vellutata is always a creamy -usually- vegetable soup.
Something about Jerusalem Artichoke
In Italy called Topinambur, Jerusalem Artichocke is a root of the perennial plant of the same name. It is often associated with potatoes (both grow underground) but, unlike the yellow tuber, Jerusalem artichoke is low in starch, calories and suitable for people suffering from diabetes.
But if the Jerusalem artichokes look like potatoes, they taste very different, similar to artichokes. Only they are much cheaper.
