Roast Potatoes and Jerusalem Artichokes with Lemon Sage

The appeal from this vegetable dish, which can be eaten with fish and meat, is the organic flavors of the earth from artichokes and potatoes, and the acidity of lemons and tomatoes. It is hearty and feeds the soul on a cold winters night with a roast.

Jerusalem artichokes are neither artichokes nor from Jerusalem. They are a relative of sunflowers, and have a starchy but deep earthy flavor to them. The tough skinned varieties will require some peeling, but others are fine unpeeled as long as you slice them thinly. This recipe was adapted from the Ottolenghi cookbook.

500g small potatoes

500g Jerusalem Artichokes

3 sticks of carrots

4 garlic cloves, whole with skin

1 spanish onion, quartered

2 tablespoons duck fat

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon roughly chopped sage

3 sprigs of rosemary or thyme

Zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 lemon, sliced

250g cherry tomatoes

170g Kalamata olives, pitted (optional)

2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 200C. Wash the potatoes well, put them in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of salted water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes until semi-cooked. Add the carrots, sliced in chunks, 10 minutes before potatoes finish. Drain, cool slightly then cut in half. Put them aside.

Wash the Jerusalem artichokes, cut them into slices 5mm thick and add to potatoes.

Heat a roasting tray over the stove with duck fat. When hot and sizzling, add garlic, sage and lemon zest and saute briefly for 1 minute, then toss potatoes, carrots, onions and artichokes with olive oil in the tray.

Roast for 30 minutes, then add sliced lemon and toss with a wooden spoon and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Now add cherry tomatoes and olives (if using), stir well again and cook for further 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and stir in some of the chopped parsley. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve immediately.