Ingredients

1 3/4 pounds sunchokes
4 tablespoons sweet butter
2 teaspoons thinly sliced garlic
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
3 1/4 cups chicken stock
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
5 ounces whipped heavy cream
64 croquettes (see adjacent recipe)
8 sprigs of chervil

Instructions

Scrub the sunchokes and carefully peel the outer skin. Slice them thinly and store in ice water.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and sweat until softened (do not allow them to color). Drain the sunchokes and add to the pan, cover with stock, and simmer until the sunchokes are soft. Add the cream, return to a boil, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully ladle small quantities at a time into the blender and purée the soup until smooth and velvety. Strain through a chinois.

Just before serving, bring the soup to a simmer and vigorously whisk in the whipped cream to achieve a light, frothy texture. Put 8 Virginia-Ham Croquettes in each soup bowl and add soup. Garnish with chervil.

(Published 2005)