1 bulb garlic, left whole
2 tbsp olive oil
1 leeks, sliced
1 onion, chopped
200-300g Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed
600ml veg stock
1 bay leaf
1 sprig rosemary
A little freshly grated nutmeg
Sea salt & ground black pepper
2 tbsp soya/oat cream (optional)
splash of marsala, or medium-dry sherry (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Put the whole bulb of unpeeled garlic in a small baking dish. Roast for 40 mins. Remove and leave to cool slightly. Squeeze each clove into a small saucepan, discarding the skins and leave to one side.
Heat the oil in large saucepan. Add the leeks and onion. Fry gently for 8 mins to soften. Add the chopped artichokes, stock, rosemary and bay leaf and a little grating of nutmeg, season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for approx 25-30 mins, until the artichokes are soft. Remove the bay leaf and rosemary (don’t worry if there are a few leaves left in the soup). Blitz in a food processor or blender.
If you’re using them, add the cream and marsala/sherry to the roasted garlic pan – if not, just add salt. Heat gently and mash the garlic into the cream. Serve the soup with a dollop of the garlic cream and grate over a little extra nutmeg.
