Sunchoke (Jerusalem Artichoke) & Mushroom Soup

My new found love, as you may know, is the Jerusalem Artichoke (a.k.a. Sunchoke).  Watch out kale, watch out, because I'm starting to cheat. This nutty, perfect to roast, easy to prep, lesser known root veg may be edging you out as my favorite.

The nutty flavor lends itself to good paring with mushrooms.  So when we opened the Montauk house last weekend, I tried my hand at a new soup recipe.  (Did you process that? We... opened... the... Montauk... house!! Hooray!)

Healthy, but complex, I hope you enjoy it.

Jerusalem Artichoke & Mushroom Soup 
Ingredients

• 3 cups of cleaned, roughly peeled (remove major nubs) and chopped Jerusalem Artichokes / Sunchokes
• 1 - 1.5 cups of cleaned, chopped mushrooms 
• 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 3 cups of broth / stock (beef would be great here, but I had homemade chicken stock on hand)
• Salt & Pepper

 Directions

• Cover the Jerusalem Artichokes with water in a pot, and boil over medium heat until tender (15 - 20 minutes depending on the size of your chop)
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pot and saute the mushrooms until glistening, adding the garlic in 3/4ths of the way through
• Salt and pepper the mushrooms to taste
• Add the tomato paste and stock, stirring to mix
• Drain the sunchokes and add them to the main pot
• Puree using an immersion hand blender or by transferring to a blender in batches
• Top with herbs and a poached egg and serve

Soup with a half submerged Poached Egg

Carrot Ginger Soup with Coconut Roasted Shrimp

Carrot and ginger are making their second combined appearance here on Lauren Living Locally. If you happen to be a regular reader, you'll remember this conversation where a fellow CSA loving neighbor and I dorked-out over veggies, farm shares and kale at a holiday party. This soup was for him and his growing family, after he and his wife welcomed a second precious baby girl with the fullest head of hair.

After we had our son earlier this year, he dropped off the most *SCRUMPTIOUS* beef stew, brimming with 18 hour braised root vegetables.  It was absolutely divine, and I am yet to produce a stew anywhere near as delicious, despite having literally the exact same ingredients at my disposal.  I love a cooking goal, and that stew is high on the target list. 

Hoping to return the post-baby meal delivery favor, I wanted to make a CSA-based meal that I knew he wouldn't make himself.  Using the shrimp from this Food & Wine recipe, and my take on a yummy flavor combination you have Lauren Living Locally's version of Carrot & Ginger Soup with Coconut Roasted Shrimp.  The samples tasted while prepping were yummy, and early reviews via text message were positive! 

Carrot and Ginger Soup with Coconut Roasted Shrimp 
Ingredients

• 4 cups of cleaned and roughly chopped carrots
• 1 white onion, diced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth 
• 1 can light coconut milk
• 12 extra large shrimp, cleaned with tails on
• 1.5 tablespoons of coconut shreds
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Pinch of cayenne
• Salt & Pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
• In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat
• Add the onion and shallots, and saute until glistening
• Add the tomato paste and ginger and stir to combine
• Toss in the carrots, and cook for two minutes
• Cover the entire contents with the stock, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer over low heat cooking with the top on until the the carrots are tender (15-20 minutes depending on the chop of your carrots)
• Blend with an immersion hand blender or transfer to a food processor
• Once blended, return to the pot and stir in the coconut milk
• Keep warm 
• Meanwhile, toss the cleaned, tail on shrimp with the olive oil, salt and pepper, cayenne and shredded coconut
• Line a tray with parchment paper, and bake in a 400 degree oven for 7-9 minutes until pink
• Serve the soup topped with the coconut shrimp and a side of chunky bread

Soup en route