Sunday, March 4, 2012

Sunchoke Bisque



2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups chopped leek (white)
3 pounds sunchokes, roughly chopped
1 large russet potato peeled and roughly chopped
7 cups of vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
Extra olive oil for drizzling

Heat the butter and the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and onions and sauté until slightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the sunchokes, potatoes and broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, and let simmer until the potatoes and sunchokes are soft, about 15 minutes.

Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. If you prefer a thicker soup, keep some of the liquid in the pot when you ladle the soup into the blender.

Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve serve with a few drizzles of olive oil.

Makes 10 servings

From my favorite cookbook these days:
Wild Flavors from Didi Emmons

Root Vegetable Latkes


2 large eggs
2 generous cups loosely packed grated root vegetable(s)
3 tablespoons arrowroot, cornstarch, or potato flour
½ cup minced onion, leek, chives, or scallions
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper 
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
Sour cream for garnish (about ¼ cup)

Line a baking sheet with paper towels for draining the cooked latkes.

Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl. Add the grated root vegetables, the starch, the onions, the salt, and the freshly cracked black pepper, and mix well.

In a cast-iron or an other heavy bottom skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, using a soup spoon, spoon about 6 or 7 spoon full into the skillet, pushing them down with the back of the spoon. Turn the heat to low. Let the latkes cook until dark golden in the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip the latkes over with a spatula and cook the other side for a few minutes, until it browns also. Then remove the latkes to the paper-towel-lined pan.

Continue frying latkes until you've used up all the batter.

Serve the latkes warm, with a dollop of sour cream on each one.

Makes 15 small (3-inch) latkes

From: Wild Flavors from Didi Emmons