Jerusalem artichokes

Season: November to February

These vegetables with a distinctive flavour are a rather neglected delicacy. Although they are cheap and could not be easier to grow, they are largely ignored. My guess is that this is because of their ugliness: the tubers do look misshapen and dauntingly knobbily. There is no need to be daunted. If you’re prepared to buy slightly more than you actually need, you can soon cut off (and discard) the nobbles, which makes life a lot easier.

They are then easy to peel, but as they discolour quickly, pop them straight into cold water as you peel. As a vegetable they can be roasted like potatoes, or sautéed.

Best of all, I think, they make a really delicious soup with a truly creamy texture.