Jerusalem artichoke soup with herby oil and crispbread crumb
November is here and soup season is in full swing! This delicious soup takes inspiration from a soup that I recently ate in Copenhagen. The soup was scattered with crushed knækbrød – a crisp bread made with rye that is a staple in Denmark and other Scandinavian countries. I can’t seem to get the soup from Copenhagen off of my mind so I have made my own version here to share with you. This soup is nutty and delicate from the Jerusalem artichokes, fresh from the herbs, and has the added crunchy texture from the crisp bread which really sets it apart. This soup is sure to impress anyone that you serve it to.
Ingredients
For the soup
- 40 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced or finely chopped
- 900 g Jerusalem artichokes peeled and cut into small cubes
- 700 ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 120 ml whole milk
- salt and pepper
For the oil
- 20 ml of neutral oil
- 4 g fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
To serve
- Knækbrød You’ll more commonly find this as “crisp bread” in the UK or occasionally as the Swedish “knäckebröd” instead.
Instructions
- Heat the butter and oil over medium in a pot or casserole that has a lid.
- Add the shallot and reduce the heat to low. Cook for five minutes until the shallot softens, stirring regularly to ensure it doesn’t brown.
- Add the garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant before adding the Jerusalem artichokes and seasoning lightly with 1/2 tsp salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Cook for five minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot for 30 minutes.
- In the mean time, mix your oil ingredients and crush your crisp bread. Set these aside until you’re ready to plate.
- After 30 minutes, check that your Jerusalem artichokes are tender and set the pot aside to cool slightly before either using an immersion blender or transferring the contents to a blender separately. Blend until smooth and add the milk until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the soup with drippings of the herby oil and scatter with the crushed crisp bread.