Winter Sunchoke Soup with Cilantro Pesto

Ingredients: Winter Sunchoke Soup: 2 cups (500 mL) peeled and chopped sunchokes (about 1 pound/450 g) 1 cup (250 mL) small cauliflower florets 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled 2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly cracked pepper ½ cup (125 mL) raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours, drained, and rinsed 4 cups (1 L) low-sodium vegetable stock, divided 1 tablespoon (15 mL) white miso ½ teaspoon (2 mL) ground cumin ½ teaspoon (2 mL) dried thyme Cilantro Pesto 1 cup (250 mL) lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves ¼ cup (60 mL) raw almonds ¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil ½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped ⅛ teaspoon (0.5 mL) salt Zest of ½ lemon 1 tablespoon (15 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice Preparation: Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Make the Winter Sunchoke Soup On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss the sunchokes, cauliflower, and garlic with the olive oil, a generous pinch of salt, and a few cracks of pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cauliflower is golden brown at the edges. Watch carefully after 15 minutes so that the garlic does not overcook. Remove the garlic if done before the other vegetables. Make the Cilantro Pesto Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, add the cilantro, almonds, olive oil, jalapeño, salt, lemon zest and juice and purée. Scrape the pesto into a small bowl and set aside. Rinse the blender. Remove the vegetables from the oven. Carefully remove the skin from the roasted garlic and discard. Add the roasted vegetables, garlic, and cashews to the high-speed blender, then add enough vegetable stock to cover and purée until smooth. Pour the soup into a medium pot and heat over medium-low heat. Stir in the remaining vegetable stock, miso, cumin, and thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper. Once heated, ladle the soup into bowls, swirl a spoonful of Cilantro Pesto on top, and serve. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/recipes/1360/winter-sunchoke-soup-cilantro-pesto