Cream Of Artichoke Soup

INGREDIENTS:

350g/ 12oz Jerusalem artichokes

1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice

600ml/ 1pint white stock

1 medium onion, chopped

salt and pepper

bouquet garni

150ml/ 1/4 pint single cream

Garnish:

chopped rosemary, thyme and tarragon

1 Scrape the artichokes just before cooking, to prevent them from going dark. Put into cold water containing 1 tbsp of the vinegar or lemon juice as each one is scraped.

2 Pour the stock into a pan with the rest of the vinegar or lemon juice and bring to the boil. Add the artichokes and onion, salt and pepper to taste and bouquet garni.

3 Cover and cook steadily for approximately 25 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.Remove the bouquet garni.

4 Sieve the soup or blend in a liquidizer or food processor to make a smooth puree. return the soup to the pan, add cream and heat. Top with the chopped herbs.