Jerusalem artichoke soup

Note: You prefer Oulala? Read this post on my French blog: La cuisine de Babeth
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Winter is supposed to be ending anytime soon, at least on the calendar. Winter was pretty harsh here in Lorraine / Luxembourg area, and hot home-made soups were a lot on the menu. I tried to compose with seasonal veggies: Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflowers, turnips, celeriac or potatoes. To avoid palate boredom I played with spices and herbs.
During one of my weekly trip to Thionville farmers market I bought some Jerusalem artichokes. Most certainly our grandparents won't be thrilled to see them back in the kitchen, at least in France. How is it in your country? Please tell us! During World War 2 potatoes were requisitioned by the Germans and hard to find. Potatoes were replaced by Jerusalem artichokes and Swedish turnips. To much of something kill the appetite for it.

In French we call the Jerusalem artichokes topinambours. They're also named in English topinambur, sunchoke or earth apple and are not from Jerusalem but Northern America.
They arrived in France in the 17th century after being discovered by Samuel de Champlain (Quebec city founding father). But they arrived at the same time as some Indians from Brazil, called Tupinambàs. People thought that the vegetable root came with the Indians, poor Samuel.

Like for my other home-made soups, I froze this one in small 1 to 2 portion bags.

Ingredients: (to make about 1.5 liter)
- 4 Jerusalem artichokes
- 2 potatoes
- 1 turnip
- 2 carrots
- 1 branch of celery (rib + leaves)
- 1 Maggi chicken stock cube (or about 4 1/4 cups of chicken broth in that case no need to add water see #3)


Directions:
1- Clean, peel the potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, carrots and turnip. Slice them.
2- Trim the end off. Slice the rib and keep the leaves. (We will use them to flavor the soup, no waste)
3- Add the chicken stock cube to about 1 liter (4 1/4 cups) of boiling water. Stir. (the more water you will use the more liquid your soup will be). Add the sliced veggies and celery's leaves. Cover and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
4- How do I know the veggies are cooked? Test them with the tip of a knife, if it enters them like butter it's ready.
5- Mix it with a blender.





Other soups recipes:
-soup at Tiffany
-cream slip peas and bacon
- cream hokkaido squash soup

If you look closely to the picture you may see Babeth :-)