Sunchoke Purée
Recipe by Eliza Ayres
Serves: 2 (the recipe can easily be doubled)
Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 pint (about 500g) sunchokes, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces if necessary
2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons kosher salt
a few grinds of black pepper
aromatics (choose a mix): a few garlic cloves, lemon peel, sprig of thyme, bay leaf)
1 big spoonful of crème fraiche (optional, but lovely)
Method
1. In a heavy-bottomed pot set over low heat, combine the sunchokes, milk, aromatics, salt and pepper
2. Cover and gently simmer for about 30 minutes, until the sunchokes are very tender when pierced with a fork. Check halfway through to make sure the liquid hasn’t reduced too much and add a splash more milk if necessary. Don’t worry if the milk looks like it is curdling.
3. Remove and discard the aromatics. Transfer the sunchokes to a blender starting with about ½ a cup of the cooking liquid and adding more to reach your desired consistency. Blend until smooth
4. For extra richness add a spoonful of crème fraiche. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Serve warm as a luxurious side or accompaniment to braised meat.
To turn into a soup, simply thin the purée with a bit of homemade broth.
