Valentine's Day Great Food

Food is a big part of our relationship and always has been. When Valentine's Day rolls around, we don't get caught up in the pink hearts and red roses. We tend to go in the lobster tails and chocolate soufflé direction. 

Most of our favorite moments as a couple revolve around really, really.....really great food. Whether it be a great meal during one of our travels, a local treat or something we cook together at home, we tend to always flock towards great food. 

Since getting married, we've started this tradition of cooking at home for Valentine's Day. We are both most comfortable in our PJ's, not a fan of all the crowded restaurants and we enjoy cooking/being together. On the menu for tonight:

• Surf & Turf - Boneless Ribeye Steak & Lobster Tails with Chimichurri Butter
• Spaghetti Squash
• Twice Baked Potatoes
• Roasted Romanesco
• Cheesecake & Dark Chocolate

And yes, usually by the time we are done eating and cleaning, the power of our stretchy PJ pants kick in and we migrate towards the sofa for some HBO series binge-watching. Happy Valentine's Day to everyone - we here at Kettler Cuisine hope it is a delicious one. :)

Some of our favorite romantic recipes:

• Blood Orange Martinis
• Oyster Shooters
• Citrus and Hearts of Palm Salad
• Royal Beet Salad
• Truffle Bacon Mac & Cheese
• Wild Mushroom Risotto
• Grilled Lamb Chops
• Lobster Tails
• Chocolate Coffee Stout Lava Cakes
• Red Wine Chocolate Cake (from Smitten Kitchen)

Roasted Sunchoke and Shallot Soup

Today, we are cooking with Sunchokes! A few weeks ago, I came across these nubby looking roots at the Market, which at first I thought were ginger, but after further investigation found out were Sunchokes. 

Sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes, are the root of a plant in the Sunflower family. Oddly, they are neither originated from Jerusalem nor an artichoke, so I prefer to call them Sunchokes. These little tubers store a lot of inulin (not insulin), which is a great source of fiber. But be careful not to over-do-it on the 'chokes since inulin can cause gas and bloat. Hey, just being real here! 

Sunchokes have a similar consistency to a potato when raw, but have a much nuttier and sweeter flavor when cooked. According to the Farmer, these tubers have a short season in NC, so I have been trying to get some every week while I can. For such an ugly little vegetable, they sure do pack a nutrient punch, full of not just inulin and fiber, but also potassium and iron. I really enjoyed taking these little vitamin-filled veggies and coming up with a soup recipe. 

I am a big fan of vegetable soups, especially with all of the winter vegetables since I have a harder time digesting them. However, I also tried pan roasting the Sunchokes with some butter and thyme and they were delicious! Here is a good recipe for roasting the 'chokes on Bon Appetit.

Roasted Sunchoke and Shallot Soup

Recipe altered from A House In the Hills
Yields: 6 cups
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 pound sunchokes, quartered (about 4 cups)

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped 

4 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons Grape seed oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 shallots, sliced

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup almond milk

salt and pepper to taste

top with fresh cilantro or fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, toss the sunchokes, onion and garlic with the oil, thyme and salt and lay out on the baking sheet. Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes, tossing a few times.

While the vegetables roast, melt the butter in a large, thick-bottomed soup pot. Saute the shallots, stirring constantly until they are golden and caramelized. Add in the vegetable broth and almond milk, scrapping any bits at the bottom of the pan. Once the broth/milk mixture comes to a boil, add in the roasted vegetables and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. 

Puree the soup mixture with either an immersion blender or standing blender in batches. Serve the soup with fresh herbs and crumbled cheese.