Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Apple Chips
As the weather gets colder, we need something warm and delicious to cozy up to. This is my version of my favorite Alenbi soup. It’s creamy and velvety, and the perfect way to change up your soup course for the holidays. Finish with some herbs, a drizzle of oil, and toasted apple chips.
Ingredients
soup⅔-¾ cup olive oil, divided
4 leeks, washed and sliced
2-3 teaspoons salt, divided
6-8 cloves garlic, sliced
15-20 Jerusalem artichokes (they are very small)
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
2-3 green apples
8-10 ounces (3-4 cups) assorted gourmet mushrooms, such as trumpet and shimeji
Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Preparation
Heat ⅓ cup olive oil in large pot. Add sliced leek with a sprinkle of salt and saute over low heat for 15-20 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add garlic and Jerusalem artichokes and sweat over low heat for another 30 minutes. Add water until the artichokes are just covered, along with thyme. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until artichokes are fork-tender.
Transfer to Vitamix or food processor. (Don’t use a hand blender for this - so much of this soup is its creaminess, which you can’t quite achieve with a hand blender.) Blend for at least 5 minutes while drizzling in a bit more olive oil, until you get that perfect velvety texture. Season with salt to taste.
To make the apple chips: Preheat oven to 300°F. Thinly slice apples with a mandoline, widthwise (across the center). Gently place apple chips directly on the oven rack and cook for 15-20 minutes, until dried out. Remove from the oven and let sit to crisp up. Apple chips can be made a day in advance and left at room temperature.
To prepare the mushrooms: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and sprinkle with salt. Saute for 15 minutes, until soft.
Serve soup in shallow bowl, topped with mushrooms and apple chips. Drizzle with a little olive oil and finish with chopped parsley.
Tip
Reheating tip: Gently warm soup over low heat, stirring occasionally. Do not bring to boil.
Can’t find Jerusalem artichokes? Try this recipe with 4-5 parsnips instead!