Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C, Gas 5). Clean and trim the sunchokes; they should be firm. Remove any tough or soft spots. I like to leave the skin on, as I think it gives nice texture, but you can remove it if you wish.

Cut the sunchokes into ½ in (1 cm) thick slices. Place them in a bowl and toss with the olive oil and ½ tsp of the salt. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for 16 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour followed by the milk and the wine. Whisk quickly until the sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the shredded cheese little by little, whisking in between each addition. Stir in the rest of the salt and a little fresh ground pepper.

Serve with the herbes de Provence or just as is with the roasted sunchokes.