Ingredients
For the soda bread scones
275g/10oz wholemeal flour
275g/10oz plain white flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
400-500ml/14-18fl oz buttermilk
For the artichoke soup
675g/1½lb Jerusalem artichokes
a good knob of butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 potato, peeled and diced
750ml/1¼ pints vegetable stock
100ml/3½fl oz double cream
2 tbsp white truffle oil
2 tbsp chives, snipped
salt and white pepper

Recipe taken from MASTERCHEF GOES LARGE published by Ebury Press and now on sale in bookshops. Copyright Shine Limited 2005. Used by permission of Ebury Press. All rights reserved.

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. For the scones, mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the smaller quantity of buttermilk. Mix by hand, adding more buttermilk if necessary, until you have a soft but not sticky dough.
3. Turn out on to a floured surface and knead lightly - just enough to shape the dough into a round. Flatten it to about 2.5cm/1in thick and cut out 8-10 scones, using a 7.5cm/3in plain cutter. Put on to a floured baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes, until well risen and golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
4. To make the soup, put the unpeeled artichokes in a pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for eight minutes, then drain.
5. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and potato. Cover and sweat until soft but not coloured.
6. Peel and mash the artichokes, then stir them into the onion and potato mixture. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Purée the soup in a blender, then pour through a sieve into a clean pan. Stir in the cream and reheat the soup gently, without letting it boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
8. Ladle the soup into four warm bowls. Drizzle the truffle oil over the surface and sprinkle with the chopped chives.
9. Serve with the scones.