Spring, Maybe

Spring officially started over a month ago, but it has been a slow, reluctant one this year. I haven’t felt the urge to switch out my clothes for the boxes in the attic, and I am still sleeping with an extra blanket on my bed. The cherry blossoms are blooming, the forsythia and crocuses have appeared, but even as I sit here writing this I’m clutching a hot cup of tea to warm my chilly hands. This is making me grumpy, but is also making me want soup rather than salad.

I like to say I eat seasonally, but it is more accurate to say I eat temperately (and I don’t mean with temperance). When it is cold I want hot food that will warm me as I cook it, when it sits in front of me and finally when it gets to my belly. Conversely when it is hot I do whatever I can to avoid making myself or my house hotter. It is April and I should be transitioning to salads and iced tea, but I can’t. I’m just too cold.

There is a pretty redbud tree in front of my house, and when it finally gets around to blooming it will be resplendent for a few days, but like me, my tree is holding out for sunnier days. To keep warm I am making some carrot and sunchoke soup.  This is one of those soups that is good hot or cold, so is perfect for this time of year. I hope that by this weekend I will enjoy some cold. I make a carrot soup that is similar, but when I was at the market and saw the sunchokes I thought they would be a perfect addition.

Carrot and Sunchoke Soup

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Serves	4-6
Prep time	1 hour, 30 minutes
Cook time	1 hour
Total time	2 hours, 30 minutes
Meal type	Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2lb carrots (peeled and rough chopped)
• 1 Large Spanish onion (rough chopped)
• 1lb sunchokes (scrubbed (also called Jerusalem artichokes) quartered)
• 8 sage leaves (snipped with a scissors)
• 1 tablespoon ghee (or other neutral oil)
• 1 cup cream (optional)
• 1 quart beef stock
• 1-2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Step 1

Melt butter over low heat, and add onions Stir and let onions soften, about 5 minutes

Step 2

Add carrots, sunchokes and sage, stir well and add stock Cover, lower heat and let simmer for 45 minutes to one hour, until all vegetables are tender

Step 3

Taste broth for seasoning, and add salt Puree with immersion blender or in a blender If using it add cream or use it to garnish the soup by drizzling it and swirling with a knife tip Serve either hot or chilled Garnish with a small sage leaf