Sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes) and chestnut velouté

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Using the best of seasonal produce this delicious thick soup will be a great celebration starter. With omitting the cream will also be suitable for a vegan diet.

Top with parsnips crisps and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil or truffle oil, sprinkle some fresh thyme leaves to complete an incredible winter warmer.

Soups and veloutés are a great way of using seasonal produce. Try and roast these first for extra flavour
Jerusalem artichokes are another of my favourite vegetables. As strange as this can sound, they are a specie of sunflower whose roots are used, but with a distinctive artichoke flavour.

Method

Prepare your Jerusalem artichokes, no need to peel. Just wash them and rub the dirt off before roasting. I have seasoned them with olive oil and salt, wrapped in foil and baked for about 20 min.
Whilst the artichokes are roasting, prep your chestnuts. In a frying pan over medium heat, add olive oil and the shallot. Let the shallot sweat and add your chestnuts.
Season with salt and few thyme leaves. Set aside.
Once the artichokes are ready, place them in a stand-up mixer together with most of the chestnuts and blend, adding the stock to the right consistency. For the velouté add cream for a smooth consistency.
Serve with some of the chestnuts as decoration, few thyme sprigs and few drops of truffle oil for another dimension. I had some parsnip crisps to finish the soup for a lovely crunch.