Velvety Potato-Sunchoke Soup with Thyme

There is no limit to the awesome power of soup. 

This one owes its power to the combo of creamy Yukon gold (or use other good yellow potatoes) and the nutty starchiness of sunchokes. You may have seen them at the farmers' market; they are knobby like ginger but taste nothing like them. I spied them when I was at the Easton Farmers' Market, from Beechwood Orchards. I believe the potatoes were from Salvaterra's Gardens and the thyme was from Blooming Glen. I make stock regularly and keep that in the freezer, but for real here? Half the time I use water and it still tastes great. I once read something from a cook or chef I admire that you create your own stock as you go, as you cook vegetables or other ingredients in it, so water ain't half bad. Stock gives you a flavor boost and a head start—along with some other nutrients. 

I really like the earthiness of thyme, but rosemary would work really well here, too. 

Soup mise: thyme, potatoes, sunchokes, onions.

We served this Velvety Potato-Sunchoke soup with an arugula salad with Scholl's apple cider vinegar in a vinaigrette and some good hard cheeses; the house one, Vintage Dubliner, was on hand as usual. 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Yukon gold or other creamy potato, cubed
• 1/2 to 1 pounds of sunchokes (a.k.a. Jerusalem artichokes), cubed-ish
• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• Small bunch of thyme
• 2 T. unsalted butter or coconut oil 
• 1 medium onion, sliced into half moons
• 4 cups stock or water 
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the sunchokes and potatoes in a medium bowl and toss with olive oil and several sprigs of thyme. Season with salt and pepper. You can remove the thyme without involving a knife, simply by running your fingers down the stem; the leaves should fall right off. Roast for 25-30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a Dutch oven or other stock pot and saute the onions over medium heat until they are nice and soft and beginning to caramelize. This should take at least 10 minutes; stir periodically. 

Add the stock to the pot along with the potato-sunchoke mix, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover it and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes tops. It won't need much time. Transfer to your blender (I heart my Vitamix) and puree the living daylights out of it, or serve as is. Garnish with some sprigs of thyme and serve immediately.