by Jamie Oliver from The Return of the Naked Chef (Penguin/Michael Joseph) Photography: David Loftus
This dish is absolutely spanking in the middle of your table for a Sunday roast or with a grilled bit of chicken or a pork chop. The breadcrumbs and thyme become crispy on top, giving the dish a really sexy texture of soft artichoke and crisp topping.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
285ml /½ pint double cream or crème fraiche
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 good handful of fresh Thyme, leaves picked and chopped
3 handfuls of grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1kg/2lb 3oz Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and sliced as thick as a pencil (or Nigel says substitute with baby turnips, parsnips, celeriac, salsify or kohlrabi)
2 good handfuls of fresh breadcrumbs (or Nigel says use dried if necessary)
Olive oil
Method
Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/425°F/Gas7.
In a bowl mix your cream, lemon juice, garlic, half the thyme and most of the Parmesan, and season well to taste.
Throw in the sliced Jerusalem artichokes. Mix well and place everything in an ovenproof baking dish.
Mix the breadcrumbs with the rest of the thyme and Parmesan and some salt and pepper.
Sprinkle all the flavoured breadcrumbs over the artichokes and drizzle with a little olive oil.
Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes until the artichokes are tender and the breadcrumbs are golden.
