Roasted Sunchoke Soup

Roasting sunchokes and allowing them to caramelize enhances their natural flavors, creating a delightful balance of nutty and sweet notes that we want to highlight in this recipe. For a vegan option, replace the heavy cream with coconut cream and the butter with olive oil. We encourage you to try the sunchoke chips, which are delicious on their own. Be sure to wash and scrub the sunchokes thoroughly, as they can retain a lot of sand and soil.

Serves 4 people | prep time 10 minutes |cooking time 35 minutes

Ingredients:

-        1 ½ lbs sunchokes, scrubbed 

-        2 tbsp olive oil

-        1 medium onion, chopped

-        2 cloves garlic, minced

-        4 cups vegetable broth

-        ½ cup heavy cream 

-        3 tbsp butter

-        Salt, to taste

-        Black pepper, to taste

-        2 tbsp chives, finely chopped

Instructions:

1.      Prep the Sunchokes

-        Set aside 1–2 sunchokes for the chips. Dice the remaining sunchokes into 1-inch pieces.

2.      Roast the Sunchokes for the Soup

-        Preheat oven to 400°F.

-        On a baking sheet, toss the diced sunchokes with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper.

-        Roast for 20–25 minutes or until golden and tender.

3.      Make the Soup

-        In a large pot, heat 3 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, cooking until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

-        Add the roasted sunchokes and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

-        Using an immersion blender (or transferring to a regular blender), blend until smooth.

-        Stir in the heavy cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4.      Make the Sunchoke Chips

-        Thinly slice the reserved sunchokes using a mandoline, wash them in cold water, and pat them dry.

-        In a small skillet, heat a thin layer of olive oil over medium-high heat.

-        Fry the sunchoke slices in batches until golden and crispy, about 1–2 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel and season with salt.

5.      Serve

-        Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with crispy sunchoke chips, and sprinkle with chopped chives.

-        For added flavor, drizzle some fresh brown butter on top.

Bon appetite.  

Forough & Le Bon Nosh Team