Today I am going to tell you the story of Jessica and the Sunchokes.
Once upon a time Jessica ordered a Harvest Box from a company that delivers fresh local food. When the box arrived she was so excited…what wonderful goodies did it contain? It was just an ordinary looking box, but inside it lay all her hopes and desires for wonderful meals to come?
Would it have kale, garlic or sweet potatoes? Aromatic herbs to tickle her nose?
Would it have squash, lettuce, or beans? Would it be the wonderful bounty of her dreams?
When she opened the box her heart leapt with joy. There were so many wonderful foods for her to enjoy!
Then in her box she spotted something new. It was not a fruit nor vegetable she knew.
They were white and covered in bumps. In fact, they looked like little stumps.
The more she looked the more she wondered. The more about their origin she pondered.
Finally she began to search. And do some internet research.
And all at once the truth became clear. She said the name aloud for all to hear.
Her new food was in fact a Jerusalem Artichoke! More commonly known as the Sunchoke!!!
Sorry…thank you for indulging my inner geek. I have had the flu all week…I blame the fever. But seriously, if you have never seen a Sunchoke, its appearance may confuse you. It sort of looks like a large funky piece of ginger. Even more confusing, it is also known as a Jerusalem Artichoke….but it looks nothing like an artichoke and is not from Jerusalem….so there you go. Since I was unfamiliar with this particular vegetable I did a little research before I set out to cook. They have a taste and consistency that is similar to potatoes…SO I decided to make a soup. It was good! I added a little Spinach Pesto on the side for a garnish, which, when mixed in, gives the soup a wonderful something extra. If you are new to Sunchokes….this soup is an excellent introduction!
Local Ingredients: Sunchokes (aka Jerusalem Artichokes) and Garlic (items in the Harvest Box I purchased from a local food company)
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb Jerusalem Artichokes
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion
3 cloves garlic
1 sprig rosemary
5 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
1/4 cup half and half, organic and locally sourced (optional)
Juice from 1 lemon
sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Peel and chop the Sunchokes.
- Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot.
- Add the onions to the pot and saute until translucent.
- Add the garlic and rosemary and saute for 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
- Add the sunchokes.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 25-35 minutes, until the Sunchokes are fork tender.
- Remove from heat and add the half and half (optional)
- Use either an immersion blender or food processor to blend the soup until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with spinach pesto and serve.
[…] Full Recipe Link: http://www.mycleankitchen.com/sunchoke-soup/ […]