Busters Recipes

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Sage-Garlic Crôutons

Serves 6
For the soup:
4 tbs Unsalted butter
3 oz Pancetta or smoked bacon, cut into 3 chunks
1 Large Spanish onion, peeled and sliced
1 Fennel bulb, cleaned and sliced
1 Medium leek, white part only, cleaned and sliced
1 Celery stalk, cleaned and sliced
3 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Bouquet garni: 2 sage sprigs, 2 thyme sprigs and 1 bay leaf
2 bs Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and cut into '/," slices or 8-1 0 globe
artichoke hearts
2 qts Unsalted chicken stock
1 Small potato, peeled and diced
1/2 tbs Coarse salt
1/2 c Heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the crôutons.
2 tbs Unsalted butter
3 Fresh sage leaves
1 Garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 c 1/4" diced country bread, crust removed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
For the soup:
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and
cook, stirring occasionally, until it renders its fat, 3 to 5 minutes. Add
the onion, fennel, leek, celery, garlic and bouquet garni and cook stirring
from time to time. Add the artichokes and cook 15 to 20 minutes more. Pour
in the stock, add the potato and coarse salt, and bring the mixture to a
boil, Lower the heat so that the soup simmers, and cook, uncovered, for 30
to 35 minutes, skimming the foam from the surface as needed. Spoon out the
pieces of pancetta and cut them into small dice; set aside until serving
time. Discard the bouquet garni.
Using an electric or immersion blender (a food processor will also work
here), puree the soup until it is very smooth. Strain through a fine meshed
sieve and taste for salt and pepper, adding seasoning as needed. Add the
cream to the soup and reheat the soup over low heat while you make the
crôutons. (The soup can be made ahead, chilled, and refrigerated overnight
in a container with a tight fitting lid. Reheat over gentle heat before
serving.)
For the crôutons:
Worm the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bread, sage and
garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the bread is crisp and
golden brown. Discard the garlic and drain the crôutons on a double
thickness of paper towels.
Ladle the hot soup into warm bowls and garnish with diced pancetta, a few
crispy crôutons and sage.

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