Start your year with the most delicious warm soups

Seasonal vegetables and fruits in January

Jerusalem artichoke: Sunchoke, or elegantly called Jerusalem artichoke, makes an excellent ingredient for both a warm soup and a fresh salad. Plus, it's full of components that have very beneficial effects on the body – it has roughly 6 times more fiber than potatoes, due to its composition it reduces the absorption of carbohydrates, doesn't cause bloating, but promotes digestion since it contains very little starch.

Apple: The apple is known throughout the world, one of the most popular fruits, which due to its good adaptability, grows in almost every climate zone. Apples were already consumed by the Romans, but the expansion of varieties we see today developed in the 20th century through some cross-breeding and cultivation: today there are more than 7000 varieties, and you can get them in almost every month of the year.

Red onion: Red onion is one of the oldest plants we cultivate for culinary purposes. This spice plant, originating from Asia, is grown and consumed almost all over the world. Besides being used as a spice in most kitchens, it can serve us in very many ways – just think of Easter eggs, onion tea, or one of French cuisine's most famous soups, French onion soup.

Jerusalem artichoke soup with pumpkin seed oil and lemon juice

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 30 dkg sunchoke (Jerusalem artichoke)
• 20 dkg yellow-skinned potatoes
• 1 small head of onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8-9 dl vegetable stock or vegetable soup
• 1 dl milk
• 1 tablespoon quality pumpkin seed oil + a little more for serving
• ½ lemon freshly squeezed juice
• 1 teaspoon dried, ground rosemary
• freshly ground white pepper, sea salt – to taste

Preparation:

1. Peel the sunchoke and potatoes, then dice them finely.
2. Chop the onion very finely.
3. In a 2-liter pot, sauté the onion in oil until translucent, then add the potatoes and sunchoke, pour in enough stock to cover them.
4. Cook them covered until tender, then add the milk and seasonings.
5. Bring to a boil briefly, then remove from heat and stir in the pumpkin seed oil and lemon juice.
6. Blend with an immersion blender. Finally, serve decorated with some pumpkin seed oil.

Apple and pumpkin cream soup

Ingredients:

• 50 dkg pumpkin
• 3 large apples
• 1 orange
• 2 dkg ginger
• 2 dl cream
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 red onion
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon
• pepper

Preparation:

1. Peel the pumpkin, cut it in half, remove the seeds, and cut into cubes.
2. Clean and chop a larger onion head.
3. Begin to simmer in a little oil. Add the pumpkin and braise covered for a few minutes. Season with ground ginger, nutmeg, crushed garlic, and freshly squeezed orange juice, then salt and pepper to taste, and pour in enough water to generously cover the pumpkin.
4. Peel the apples, cube them, and add to the pumpkin.
5. Cook everything until tender, then puree with an immersion blender. Finally, stir in the cream and bring to a boil over a few minutes.

Onion soup - a jewel of French cuisine

Ingredients:

• 4 medium red onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 l chicken stock
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 dl white wine (dry)
• nutmeg to taste
• white pepper to taste
• 15 dkg cheese (shredded, a more flavorful semi-hard cheese tastes best)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 4 slices of toast bread

Preparation:

1. Cut the garlic into small cubes, slice the red onion thinly, then braise slowly in butter and olive oil.
2. Sprinkle with two tablespoons of flour, stir a few times, then pour in hot meat stock.
3. Add the white wine, season, and after bringing to a boil, cook for another 15 minutes. (You can puree the onion with an immersion blender at this point, or leave it in small pieces)
4. Cook everything until tender, then puree with an immersion blender. Finally, stir in the cream and bring to a boil over a few minutes.