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Fall is full of fantastic seasonal produce, but why not jazz up an autumn dinner using techniques from different cultures to create enticing combos?

The soup in this eclectic menu is thick and creamy; it features rich-tasting Jerusalem artichokes but no thickener in the French style.

Pork and clams, meanwhile, is a Portuguese dish, but I used the traditional spicing to make what is essentially a saucy stir fry.

Finally, a meringue jelly roll baked at high heat becomes flat, soft and creamy, contradicting the notion of a traditional crisp meringue.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP

Jerusalem artichokes – knobby root vegetables that are neither from Jerusalem nor artichokes but provide the same flavour – add an unexpected twist to creamy soup. Garnish with some chives and a grating of Parmesan.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

11/2 cups chopped onion

1 teaspoon garlic, chopped

1 pound plus 12 ounces (875 grams) Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 4 cups)

4 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup whipping cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Pinch cayenne

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Shavings of Parmesan cheese

Method

Heat butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes or until softened. Add artichokes and sauté for 1 minute. Pour in stock and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until artichokes are tender.

Purée soup using a hand blender or food processor. Return soup to pot, add cream and season with salt, pepper and cayenne.

Bring soup back up to a boil, and then simmer for 2 minutes. Sprinkle soup with chives, a little grated Parmesan and a swirl of cream. Serves 6.

PORK AND CLAMS

Although this recipe isn't exactly authentic, the taste is. If you can find it, Berkshire pork loin elevates this to a new level. If pasta clams (small ones) aren't available, substitute larger ones, which take longer to open.

Ingredients

1 head garlic, separated into cloves

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

11/2 pounds (750 grams) pork loin, cubed

1/2 cup chopped chorizo (1/2-inch dice)

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

1 diced red pepper

1 teaspoon dried chili flakes

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 can (796 ml can) chopped tomatoes

2 pounds (1 kilogram) fresh clams

Method

Place garlic cloves in a small pot of water, bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until garlic is very soft. Drain. Peel garlic and reserve.

Combine garlic, 1 tablespoon coriander, 2 tablespoons parsley, 1/4 cup olive oil and sea salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and purée until smooth.

Toss pork with garlic paste and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Scrape marinade from pork and reserve. Heat remaining olive oil over high heat in a large sauté pan. Working in batches, add pork and sear on all sides, about 5 minutes total. The pork should have a faint pink tinge in the centre. Remove from pan.

Reduce heat to medium; add chorizo, onion, celery, red pepper, chili flakes and any marinade, and sauté, stirring, for 10 minutes or until very soft and slightly browned. Add white wine and chopped tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until wine has reduced and mixture is saucy.

Raise heat to medium-high and add clams. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add pork, cover again, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or until clams are opened and pork is warmed through. Discard any clams that haven't opened. Mix in remaining parsley and coriander and serve. Serves 6.

MERINGUE JELLY ROLL WITH LEMON CURD

This was a big hit at my last dinner party. The meringue rolls beautifully and you can fill it with anything you like. Baking at a high hear turns it a little spongy, making it easy to roll. You can make your own lemon curd or buy it in a jar. The jarred kind needs some extra lemon rind and juice to spark it up.

Ingredients

8 egg whites

2 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Icing sugar

Filling:

1/2 cup whipping cream

11/2 cups lemon curd

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 11-by-17-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

Whisk egg whites until frothy and doubled in bulk. Slowly whisk in sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to whisk until the egg whites are thick, glossy and hold slightly drooping peaks. Beat in vinegar until egg whites form stiff peaks, than beat in cornstarch.

Spread meringue mixture into pan, levelling off the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is pale gold and feels firm to the touch.

Remove from oven and cool on parchment paper for 1 hour. Dust a large sheet of parchment paper with icing sugar and turn the meringue over on to the paper.

Whip cream until it hold stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream into lemon curd and spread lemon cream over roulade. Roll up roulade from the long end using the paper as a guide. Chill until needed and cut into slices to serve. Serves 6 with leftovers.