Artichoke Lemon Soup Recipes

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE SOUP WITH LEMON AND SAFFRON

Steps:

• Using a heavy casserole with a cover, saute the onions in the olive oil over low heat, covered, about 20 minutes. Uncover, add garlic and the artichokes, and increase heat. Continue to saute for a few more minutes. Add the chicken broth and salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Grind the almonds in a spice grinder and mix with the water. Whisk the mixture into the soup along with with saffron strands and the lemon juice. Reheat, sprinkle parsley on top, and serve.

GREEK LEMON, ARTICHOKE, AND EGG SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the rice thoroughly and place it, along with the water, in the slow cooker insert.
• In a sauté pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion, celery, and artichokes over medium-high heat until just beginning to brown, about 7 minutes.
• Add the vegetables to the water and rice, cover, and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or until the rice is tender. Add the cumin and 1/4 cup of the parsley to the soup.
• In a medium bowl and using a whisk or a handheld immersion blender, beat the eggs and lemon juice together until frothy. Slowly add 2 ladles of broth, 1 ladle at a time, stirring constantly, to the lemon and egg mixture.
• Add the lemon and broth mixture back into the soup, stirring constantly, and continue cooking for about 10 minutes more, or until heated through and beginning to thicken. (If you allow the soup to boil, the eggs will curdle.)
• Add salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowls, garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup parsley, and serve immediately.
• Suggested Beverage
• A nice Sauvignon Blanc or an artisanal Greek retsina, if you can find one, would pair well with this soup.

CREAMY ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts, season with salt and pepper and saute another 5 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree until smooth with a hand blender or in a blender in small batches. Whisk in 3/4 cup yogurt and season with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, stir together the pesto sauce and lemon juice. Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with about 1 tablespoon yogurt and drizzle with the thinned pesto sauce.

LEMONY ARTICHOKE AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Fill large bowl with water and squeeze the lemon halves into it. Working with one artichoke at a time, trim the base, removing the stem and trimming the tough outer leaves beneath the heart. Cut off the top 2/3 of the leaves, leaving only the heart. With a small spoon, scrape out the hairy choke. Submerge the trimmed artichoke in the lemon water. Repeat with the five remaining artichokes. Once the hearts have been trimmed, slice them 1/4" thick and return them to the lemon water.
• In a large deep saucepan, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over low heat until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
• Drain the artichokes and add them to the sauce pan along with the potatoes, the 6 1/2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil.
• Put the peppercorns in a teaball or tie them up in a piece of cheesecloth and immerse them in the soup.
• Simmer until both the peppercorns and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Discard the peppercorns.
• Using a fork or potato masher, partially mash the potatoes to thicken the broth. Season the soup with salt. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with the lemon wedges.

THE BEST STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Cut top 1/4 of an artichoke off and discard. Trim off the top 1/2 inch from remaining leaves. Cut off bottom inch from stalk to create a flat bottom. Turn artichoke upside down and bang on surface to loosen the leaves. Zest 3/4 teaspoon of lemon zest from the lemon and set aside. Cut lemon in half and rub cut leaves and stem of artichoke with lemon. Repeat artichoke prep with remaining artichokes.
• Combine reserved lemon zest with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and stir well.
• Sprinkle bread crumb mixture evenly into all the artichoke leaves, avoiding the thistle leaves in the direct center. Work mixture evenly into each crevice of each artichoke until all of the mixture is used.
• Pour water in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Add remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Set artichokes in the pot so that they are touching, so that they may remain upright during cooking. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the leaves release very easily, about 1 hour.
• Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with more parsley if desired. Serve warm or room temperature.

LEMON ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic; cook until the onion and garlic are translucent. Stir in the chicken broth, artichoke hearts, salt, and pepper and simmer 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth; return the mixture to the saucepan. Squeeze one lemon half into the pan. Place the other lemon half into the saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer another 10 minutes. Remove the lemon half from the pan and pour in the half and half; stir. Continue to simmer until thoroughly heated, about 10 minutes.