Creamy Jerusalem Artichoke and Kumara Soup with Kale

Directions

The bitterness of the kale is the perfect accent for this rich and earthy soup. You could also use all Jerusalem artichokes instead of the kumara – you’d need 800g of artichokes in total. Thinly slice the onion and fry in a large saucepan in 2 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat for about 10 minutes until soft and golden, making sure that it doesn’t burn. Scrub the Jerusalem artichokes (no need to peel them) and slice thinly. Peel the kumara and slice thinly. When the onion is soft, add the root vegetables to the pot and stir to combine, then put the lid on and sweat for about 10 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the artichokes and kumara are soft. Add the cream and the butter and take the pot off the heat. Leave to cool. When cool, use a slotted spoon to put the vegetables in a food processor and blitz to a mush. Then, with the processor running, pour the liquid back in, until the soup reaches the thickness you want. Return the soup to the pot and reheat. Wash the kale and cut out the stems. Then shred it into thin ribbons. The easiest way to do this is to stack several leaves of kale, roll them up and then slice across the roll. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Heat 4 tbsp olive oil and stir-fry the kale and garlic about 3 minutes until the kale wilts. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper and fry for about a minute longer. Spoon the soup into bowls and divide the kale as a garnish on top of each portion of soup.