Artichoke and Sunchoke Soup

Lazy Sunday family supper…

2 cans artichoke hearts, drained with liquid reserved, 1 can left whole, once can rough chopped

3 pounds sunchokes, scrubbed, peeled with a vegetable peeler and cut into 1-2 inch pieces

1 pound red potatoes, scrubbed, peeled with a vegetable peeler and cut into 1-2 inch pieces

2 onions, medium dice

2 leeks, cleaned and cut into ½ inch half circles

3 large cloves garlic, 2 minced and 1 reserved

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pint heavy cream

Salt

Fresh pepper

Sherry

Sherry vinegar

Hot sauce

Sweat the leek, onion and 1 ½ teaspoons salt in the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the 2 cloves of minced garlic and sweat a minute more being careful not to brown the garlic. Turn the heat to high and deglaze with about an ounce of sherry. Add the potatoes, sunchokes, 1 can of whole artichoke hearts, another 1 and ½ teaspoons of salt and the reserved artichoke liquid. Add enough vegetable stock or water to just barely cover. Put the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn down heat to medium low, stir occasionally and simmer until the sunchokes and potatoes are very tender. Once tender, use an immersion blender or blender to purée the soup. Stir in the heavy cream, second can of artichoke hearts (roughly chopped), a dash of the hot sauce (not enough to make it hot, just enough to add depth, about 3-4 shakes), and a splash of the sherry. Grate in the last clove of garlic and stir to combine. Check the seasoning for salt and pepper, adjust as needed. Once the soup is seasoned, add a splash of sherry vinegar (about 1 tablespoon) to balance things out.