Creamy Sunchoke Soup
I love recipes that come with stories. I love reading the story behind every dish, the one that describes the origin of the recipe, the inspiration behind it, the people involved, the ingredients, the history, the secrets and the outcome. Learning about the backstory of a dish and the person who made it has always excited me. That’s why I enjoy writing this kind of stories myself. I sometimes wonder if they are too long and tiring for you to read but I insist on writing them because I love them too much. I adore the fact that cooking goes hand in hand with memories. Memories of images, flavors, scents, different seasons, celebrations, memories of people, loving moments, good times and bad times.. A bowl of hot soup –especially chicken soup- brings back memories of being a child, sick in bed, but it also awakes this warm feeling of being loved and taken care of. I bet you find the image of a mother holding a bowl of hot soup incredibly familiar.
That’s the feeling I got while reading Valentina Solfrini’s stories in her book, “Naturally Vegetarian”. I was fascinated by the description of any important detail about the history and the ingredients of the recipes that gave every dish a unique energy, and all that leading to a table with smiling people around it. In my mind, that’s a wonderful classic Mediterranean image.
I still can’t get over all these amazing vegetarian recipes of Emilia Romagna. While reading “Naturally Vegetarian”, I mentally travelled back in time and saw Valentina’s mother and grandmother making pasta and Valentina growing up in this traditional kitchen to write her own story later on. It felt like watching a film.
"The countryside in the winter is covered in a thick blanket of fog and frost. A remote quietness permeates the air, and every step and whisper echoes among the fields. After dancing and singing the beauties of fall, December's cold drives us home to nest in front of a burning fireplace, doors shut closed against the chill"
Valentina
Among her winter recipes, I found a soup recipe that really caught my attention. Creamy Sunchoke soup with golden onions! I wasn’t planning on making it so soon but I coincidentally came across these fresh, organic roots yesterday at the market and I didn’t think about it twice!
Brown colored tubers with a sweet taste and crunchy texture. Its flavor is quite similar to artichokes but a lot sweeter. Closer to the taste of apples, I believe. Its white flesh is an important source of iron. It has no relation to Jerusalem or artichokes, as it belongs to the family of Asteraceae. The sunchoke (Helianthus Tuberosus) is a vegetable root. It’s also called sunroot, earth apple or topinambour. Its name comes from the Italian word for sunflower, “girasole”, and due to the similar sound, it ended up with the name “Jarusalem”. It can be preserved in the refrigerator for about a week.
We’re in the heart of winter and soups are definitely a must. They keep us warm and are unbelievably nutritious. This particular one is also a quite light dish and a very healthy option since vegetables are the star of the show.
"Ιf you are unfamiliar with this winter root, it is totally worth a try. Similar to ginger in shape, its taste is reminiscent of artichoke (hence its alternative name, Jerusalem Artichoke), but it has a texture similar to potatoes, which makes it perfect for creamy soups or purees. Sunchokes contain lots of fiber and especially high in inulin, kind of fiber that makes you feel full for longer. They also contain a good amount of minerals (especially potassium) and vitamins, so this soup is perfect for a simple, nourishing everyday meal."
Ingredients
For the onions:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely sliced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper
For the soup:
450g sunchokes
1 small potato
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small sprig of fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 sage leaves, fresh or dried, finely minced
2 medium shallots, finely sliced
3 cups (750ml) Vegetable Stock
1 scant teaspoon salt
Pepper
1 cup (250ml) almond milk
Chopped pistachios, for garnish
Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish ( for Vegetarians )
Method
1. Make the onions: Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons water. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, for about 30 minutes, until the onions turn a rich gold color. Add the salt and pepper to taste toward the end and stir well.
2. Make the soup: Thoroughly wash the sunchokes and potato under running water and scrub them clean with a brush. (I prefer to use them with the skin on, but make sure they are thoroughly clean.) Cut the sunchokes and potato into chunks, keeping the cut pieces submerged in water while you prepare the rest.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, then add the rosemary and sage and saute for 2 minutes, until aromatic. Add the shallots and cook for about 5 minutes, until the shallots become translucent. Add the sunchokes and potato, stir them in the pot, then add the stock, salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
4. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the almond milk and blend until smooth using a blender or an immerrsion blender.
5. Serve in bowls and top with the onions. Serve with a slice of toasted sourdough bread or with some lentils. Or add any grain of your choice and a legume to make it a complete meal.
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