Pear Ginger Chutney by David Anderson
Read More
Featured Recipes
Pear and Sunchoke Soup with Porcini Mushrooms and Bacon
Ethan Stowell, Chef/Owner of Union, Tavolàta and How to Cook a Wolf
Makes 4-6 servings, about 4 cups
Pear and Sunchoke Soup
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1-1/2 pounds sunchokes, peeled and diced (yields about 1 pound)
3-4 cups sparkling water
2 medium-size ripe Bosc or Bartlett Pears, peeled, cored, diced
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Porcini Mushroom Garnish
4 ounces bacon, diced
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
4 ounces porcini or shiitake mushrooms
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallot
Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add onions. Stir over medium-low heat about 8 minutes until soft, do not brown. Add sunchokes and 3 cups sparkling water. Bring to a simmer and cook with vented lid until sunchokes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add pears and cook about 4 minutes until softened. Puree soup in a blender or food processor. Add additional sparkling water as needed for desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
While soup is cooking, prepare garnish: Cook bacon with butter in a skillet over medium heat until some of the fat is rendered but bacon is still soft. Bacon should not crisp. Add mushrooms and cook until their liquid is released, 4-5 minutes. Add shallots; cook over low heat until shallots are softened and flavors are melded, about 15 minutes. Makes about 3/4 cup.
Place 2 heaping tablespoons mushroom garnish in a shallow bowl. Pour hot soup over and serve immediately.
