A silken, earthy soup showcasing the nutty sweetness of sunchokes, balanced with aromatic shallots and garlic, and finished with truffle-scented cream and crisp sunchoke chips for a refined presentation.
INGREDIENTS:
Serves about 18 espresso cups
Sunchoke Velouté
- ¼ lb (115 g) unsalted butter
- 2 lbs (1.1 kg) sunchokes, cleaned and roughly chopped
- ½ lb celery root, diced
- 2 cups minced shallots
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 quart (1 L) chicken stock
Truffle Cream and Garnish
- 1 cup heavy cream or mascarpone, whipped to soft peaks
- Fresh truffle pieces, to taste (folded into whipped cream with a pinch of salt)
- ½ sunchoke, thinly sliced for chips
- Salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Sunchoke Velouté
In a heavy pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the minced shallots and cook gently without coloration until soft and aromatic. Add the garlic and continue cooking for a few minutes, still avoiding any browning. Add the chopped sunchokes and celery root, stirring to coat in the butter-shallot mixture. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes, or until the sunchokes are completely tender.
Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Working in batches, fill the blender no more than one-third full and blend each batch, starting on low and increasing to high until completely smooth. Hold the lid firmly while blending. Season to taste with salt and pepper. For a refined texture, strain through a fine chinois.
Truffle Cream and Garnish
Gently fold truffle pieces and a pinch of salt into the softly whipped cream or mascarpone. Slice the reserved half sunchoke paper-thin and fry or bake until crisp. Season lightly with salt.
Plating
Serve the velouté piping hot in espresso or demi-tasse cups. Finish each portion with a spoonful of truffle cream and a crisp sunchoke chip.
Recipe courtesy of Michelin-starred Chef Roland Passot (La Folie, San Francisco), for the 2026 Napa Truffle Festival.
