Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Sage Croutons

4 servings

The soup:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, cut into 3 chunks
• 1 large onion, peeled, trimmed, and thinly sliced
• 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 medium leek, white part only, thinly sliced, washed and dried
• 1 celery stalk, peeled, trimmed, and thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled, split, and germ removed
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• Bouquet garni (2 sprigs sage, 2 springs thyme, and 1 bay leaf, wrapped in a leek green and tied)
• 2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4 (one fourth) inch thick slices
• 2 quarts unsalted chicken or vegetable stock or water
• 1 small potato, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup cup heavy cream

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large casserole over medium heat. Add the pancetta or bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it renders its fat, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, fennel, leek, celery and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Toss in the bouquet garni and cook, stirring from time to time for 5 minutes. Add the artichokes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the stock or water, add the potato and 1 ½ (one and one half) teaspoons salt, and bring the mixture to the boil. Lower the heat so that the soup simmers and cook, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, skimming the foam from the surface as needed. Spoon out the pieces of pancetta or bacon, cut them into small dice, and set them aside until serving time. Discard the bouquet garni.

Using a blender, hand-held immersion blender, or a food processor, and working in batches, puree the soup until it is very smooth. Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve into a large saucepan and taste for salt and pepper, adding seasoning as needed. Add the cream to the soup and bring to the boil, then lower the heat and keep the soup warm while you make the croutons.

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 slices bread, preferably country bread, crusts removed and cut into 1/4 (one quarter) inch dice to make 1 cup
• 3 leaves sage, finely sliced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Warm the oil in a small saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the bread, sage and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and saute until the bread is crisp and golden brown. Discard the garlic and drain the croutons on a double thickness of paper towels. Save the crisp sage leaves to garnish the soup.

To serve: ladle the soup into warm bowls and top each serving with some of the reserved diced pancetta or bacon, a few croutons, and some strands of crisped sage.

	'Alfred Portale's 12 Seasons Cookbook,' by Alfred Portale with Andrew Friedmanby Alfred Portale with Andrew Friedman
	Food for the Soul by Monique Wells
	Barbecue! Bible -- Sauces, Rubs and Marinades by Steven Raichlen
	Off the Eaten Path by Bob Blumer
	The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn
	'L'Atelier of Alain Ducasse by Bénédict Beaugé
	A Mediterranean Feast by Clifford A. Wright
	Cooking with the Hazans: the best kept secrets of the Italian kitchen
	Books capture style and substance of Vietnamese cuisine
	The New Moosewood Cookbook By Mollie Katzen
	Two Fat Ladies Obsessions By Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright
	French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller
	A Gracious Plenty: Recipes and Recollections from the American South By John T. Edge
	Crazy Plates: Low-Fat Food So Good, You'll Swear It's Bad for You! by Janet and Greta Podleski
	Blue Ginger: East Meets West cooking with Ming Tsai by Ming Tsai and Arthur Boehm
	Australian Food: In Celebration of the New Australian Cuisine by Alan Saunders
	Sweet Celebrations: The Art of Decorating Beautiful Cakes by Sylvia Weinstock with Kate Manchester
	Buon appetito: A harvest of country Italian cookbooks
	How Are You Peeling? by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers
	Julia and Jacques, Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin
	Cafe Boulud Cookbook by Daniel Boulud and Dorie Greenspan
	Prairie Home Cooking by Judith M. Fertig
	Saveur Cooks Authentic French by the editors of Saveur magazine
	Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook By Sylvia Woods and Family
	Help! My Apartment Has a Dining Room By Kevin and Nancy Mills
	Your Place or Mine by Jean-Christophe Novelli
	Sweet Simplicity by Jacques Pépin
	Country Weekend Entertaining by Anna Pump with Gen LeRoy
	Cooking with Patrick Clark: A Tribute to the Man and His Cuisine
	America's food is as diverse as its culture: Cookbook reviews
	Homestyle Cooking Made Healthy by Jeanne Jones