Roasted Sunchoke Soup
By: Gina Marie Barone
Published: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 3:02pm

Ingredients




1# Fresh Sunchokes, scrubbed and cut into large pieces
1 Large Shallot, cut in half, leave skin on
2 Cloves Garlic, skin on
1 tsp. Dried Herbs de Provence, crushed in a mortar and pestle
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for roasting
Kosher Salt
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
2 Medium Yellow Potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
3 Cups Vegetable Stock
Heavy Cream, dash

Preparation

1 Preheat oven to 350. 2 Toss sunchokes, garlic,and shallot in olive oil, salt and pepper. 3 Place on a sheet pan and roast in the oven, about 25 minutes-- until tender, stirring occaisionally. 4 Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain. 5 When everything is cooked, place back into pot that potatoes cooked in. 6 Add vegetable stock, puree with an immersion "hand" blender until desired consistency. 7 Heat blended soup through over medium-low heat, stirring. Don't scorch! 8 Add a dash of cream if desired. 9 Taste! 10 Add more salt and pepper if needed. 11 Serve with some nice bread as an appetiser or main course.

About

I came across these lovely Sunchokes in the grocery store. They are pretty versatile, you can eat them raw, roast them or boil them. They have a wonderful artichoke flavor, though not an artichoke at all. They are the root of the sunflower plant. Give them a try! You will be pleasantly surprised. Add them to your roasted vegetable medley for a nice side dish. Thrill all the vegetarians in your life with this yummy vegetable! They are available from about October to March. A great source of iron. Leave the skins on for extra nutrients and texture.