The secret ingredient in this luscious interpretation of classic potato leek soup? Sunchokes. The knobby root vegetable elevates this perfect pairing with a subtle nutty note.
Rye Cheesy Toasts with Dry Jack and Caraway
Use these grilled cheese toasts as a topper for your soup or a perfect side plate nibbler. The rye bread and caraway seeds add a fragrant and flavorful bite alongside a creamed soup.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large (½ pound) leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise, washed and sliced into thin rounds
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 medium (½ pound) white waxy potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ pound sunchokes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 4 slices of rye bread (such as Golden Sheaf German Rye or Esther’s Russian Rye)
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded dry Monterey Jack cheese (Rumiano Family is a good choice)
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
Preparation
Potato, Leek & Sunchoke Soup
Melt the butter in a soup pot on the stove over medium heat, or in an Instant Pot on the medium sauté setting. Add the leek, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the leek pieces are softened and translucent. Add the potatoes, sunchokes, broth and bay leaf.
If cooking on the stove, bring the soup up to a simmer, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot. Let simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are fork tender. If using an Instant Pot, cancel the cooking program, secure the lid in the sealing position and select the soup program for 3 minutes. (The pot will take about 10 minutes to get up to pressure before the cooking program begins.) Let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes.
When the vegetables are cooked, discard the bay leaf, and use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. Blend in the vinegar, then taste the soup and add salt if needed. You may also thin out the soup with extra broth or water if it is too thick for your liking.
Rye Cheesy Toasts with Dry Jack and Caraway
Makes 4 toasts
Sprinkle the bread with the cheese and fennel seeds. Toast in a toaster oven or broil in the oven for about 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the fennel is fragrant.
