Slow New Year’s Eve & Sunchoke Soup Recipe
January 1st, 2010 | Published in Soup and Stew Recipes, Vegetable Recipes | 2 Comments
Last night was one of the the best New Year’s Eves I’ve had in years. A good friend and I decided to celebrate this ending and beginning in my kitchen, cooking our favorite comfort food indulgences.
We started around 5 mixing, talking and sipping pink champagne. When the first course was done—buckwheat blini—we sat down and ate them slathered with caviar until we were sated. No skimping or calorie counting allowed.
Buckwheat blini with caviar and creme fraiche; photo Nicole
Then we went for a nice, brisk walk with the dog (he deserved to celebrate,too).
Next we whipped up the earthy, nutty-sweet Jerusalem artichoke soup recipe I’ve included below and drizzled it with truffle oil. Then a carnaroli risotto with wild Alaskan spot prawns and asparagus. To complete our commitment to doing this all in an expansively relaxed fashion, we took a breather for a great movie from Netflix.
At midnight we were ready to celebrate the big occasion with the fireworks show from the Space Needle, a little more champagne, and lemon sorbet drizzled with pomegranate molasses and toasted Marcona almonds. It was all just perfect.
Cheers, my friends. Here’s to a sweet and spacious and prosperous twenty-ten!
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup; photo Nicole
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Fried Sage Leaves Recipe
This is such a simple recipe I don’t mind going the extra distance to add some or all of the elegant garnishes described below. Fried sage leaves are simple to prepare and really launch the flavor of this soup.
Truffle oil is an ingredient I think is worth adding to your larder. Though pricey, it’s used in tiny quantities and adds an unmistakable, earthy complexity to dishes like this soup, a risotto with mushrooms, or pan-roasted fingerling potatoes that is down right addictive. And talk about addictive, once you’ve tried popcorn with truffle oil and a little freshly grated Parmiggiano Reggiano, you’ll never settle for butter again!
Sunchoke,Jerusalem Artichoke, Earth Apple; photo Nicole
Makes 8 to 10 servings
FRIED SAGE LEAVES
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup washed and dried fresh sage leaves
SOUP
leeks, sliced for washing
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 2 1/2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes, roughly peeled and cut in half
- 1 pound Idaho potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
- 1 1/2 cups sliced shiitake or portobello mushrooms
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 5 cups homemade chicken stock (or organic, low-sodium chicken broth)
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
GARNISH
- Truffle oil and fried sage leaves (or minced fresh chives)
TO MAKE THE FRIED SAGE LEAVES
Fried Sage Leaves; photo Nicole
- Heat the vegetable oil in a small, deep skillet to nearly smoking. Add the sage leaves in 1 or 2 batches—don’t crowd the pan. Fry, stirring, for 4 to 5 seconds until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel. Salt lightly. (The leaves can be prepared up to a day ahead and stored in an airtight container on the counter.)
TO MAKE THE SOUP
Sauteeing leeks,mushrooms. Photo Nicole
- Melt the butter in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and sauté 4 to 5 minutes longer, until the mushrooms soften and there is some browning in the bottom of the pan.
- Mix in the artichokes, potatoes, sage, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Add the stock, bring the mixture to a boil, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the artichokes and potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add in crema and cool slightly before proceeding.
- Purée the soup in the pan with an immersion blender (or working in small batches, purée the soup in a blender).
Immersion blender doing it's thing, Nicole
TO SERVE
- Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with the truffle oil and fried sage leaves.
January 2nd, 2010at 7:50 pm(#)
Wow! What an incredible soup. I’ve never had Jerusalem artichokes before. This soup is a wonderful combination of earthy, nutty, and yet very elegant and subtle. I loved the smooth texture, which for me, added to the elegance of it. The sage and the truffle oil really set this off beautifully. Even though it’s not made with a lot of butter, it’s rich enough that a little goes a long way. I will definitely serve it at my next dinner party.
Divine…..
January 2nd, 2010at 9:39 pm(#)
Thanks for your comments. I agree, Jerusalem artichoke is a lovely flavor —and so many people have never tried it. One of the treats of the winter garden.