Garlicky Artichoke Soup Recipes

CREAMY ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a heavy, large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and the garlic and stir. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the artichokes, stock, salt, and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Using a handheld immersion blender, or in a blender in batches*, puree the soup. Add the 2 tablespoons mascarpone and blend again to combine. In a small bowl, stir the remaining 1/3 cup mascarpone to soften.
• Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Dollop the top of each of the soups with a spoonful of the softened mascarpone cheese and top the cheese with chives.
• * When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

ROASTED GARLIC SOUP AND ARTICHOKE CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.
• For the roasted garlic soup:
• In a small pan, pour the olive oil and place each half garlic head HYPERLINK "http://fxcuisine.com/zoom-image.asp?image=http://fxcuisine.com/blogimages/french-cuisine/garlic-soup/french-garlic-soup-07-1000.jpg&t=" flat in the oil.
• Roast the garlic in the oven for about 40 minutes or until the garlic is soft throughout and nicely browned. Remove the skins from the garlic.
• Place half the cloves garlic in a large pot and mash them with 1/2 the infused garlic oil. Add the flour and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
• Add the chicken stock and thyme and bring to a boil and then let simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• To prepare the artichokes:
• Start by cutting off the exterior leaves using a very sharp paring knife. Cut only at the base of the leaf and not into the hard heart.
• Once the heart is visible, cut the top of the artichoke off by first locating the top of the heart. Cook's Note: This is simply done by feeling the artichoke starting at the bottom of the artichoke and feeling progressively upwards. The heart will feel hard; where there is no heart, the leaves will feel noticeably soft.
• Cut through the leaves at the top of the artichoke using a sharp sturdy knife, like a chef's knife.
• Peel the stem of the artichoke using a paring knife. Scrape out the "choke" or the fuzzy center of the artichoke heart. Rub with lemon to prevent the artichoke from discoloring. Cut the artichoke heart and stem into sections.
• Cook in boiling, salted, and lightly acidulated (with lemon juice) water until the hearts are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• In a pan, on medium heat the olive oil, add the artichoke and shallots. Saute for 5 minutes, until lightly caramelized. Season with salt and pepper. Add parsley. Keep aside.
• To assemble:
• Preheat the oven to broil.
• Brush the slices of bread with the remaining garlic-infused oil, garnish with the sauteed artichoke and cheese. Grill in the oven until the cheese is melted and slightly golden brown.
• When ready to serve, place an artichoke crouton in a shallow bowl, add a ladle of the roasted garlic soup.

GARLIC SAUTEED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Rinse artichokes under cold water, and use a sharp knife to cut the top 1/3 off of each one. Trim the stems to about 1 inch, and remove the smaller leaves from around the base. Use scissors to remove any remaining leaf tips. Cut each artichoke in half from the bottom to the top, then use a spoon to scrape out the hairy choke. Rinse again to remove any residual hairs.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, and saute for about 1 minute to flavor the butter. Arrange artichoke halves cut-side down in the skillet. Saute for about 5 or 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Reduce heat to low, and pour in about 1/4 cup of water, cover, and let steam for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the artichokes are tender. A fork should easily pierce the stem.

GIADA'S CREAMY ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.
• Add leeks and garlic, cook and stir for about 2 minutes.
• Add the potato and cook about 5 minutes.
• Add the artichokes and broth, cover and cook 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Add salt, pepper and cream cheese.
• At this point you can pull out your immersion blender if you're lucky enough to have one. Puree until smooth.
• If you're like me, take the soup off the heat for a few minutes and transfer to a blender to puree (probably in batches) until smooth.
• You may want to strain the soup to remove the little stringy bits of artichokes -- especially if you have kids.
• Top with chives, maybe a dollop of sour cream, or even some mascarpone if you are living dangerously.
• Enjoy!

ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Clean and prepare the artichokes as detailed on page 18. Put artichokes in a serving bowl and toss with the lemon juice.
• Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, and cook until they begin to stick to the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Add the leeks and shallots, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle in the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and peperoncino. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Add the prepped, drained artichokes, and bring the soup to a rapid simmering. Cook, uncovered, until potatoes and artichokes are tender and the potatoes have broken down to thicken the soup, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Stir in the chopped parsley, and serve the soup with grated cheese.

ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter and cook the artichoke hearts, leek, garlic, onion and shallots until tender but not brown. Add the potatoes and stock. Tie up the bay leaf, thyme, parsley and peppercorns in cheesecloth and add to the pot. Simmer, uncovered, 1 hour.
• Remove and discard the herbs. Purée the soup and pass it through a fine strainer. When ready to serve, heat the soup and whisk in the remaining butter and the cream. Season with salt and serve.

TUSCAN TOMATO ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, vegetable broth, roasted bell peppers, basil, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors combine, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer artichokes, tomatoes, and roasted bell peppers to a blender using a slotted spoon; puree until smooth.
• Stir half-and-half into the broth mixture in the pot. Add pureed artichoke mixture; stir slowly until blended. Stir in Parmesan cheese before serving.

ARTICHOKE AND GREEN GARLIC SOUP WITH NETTLE-WALNUT PESTO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Fill large bowl with ice water and juice from 1/2 lemon, then drop same lemon half into water. Cut off artichoke stems and discard. Using serrated knife, cut top inch off artichokes. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base. Discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until exposed leaves are pale green at top and pale yellow at base. Cut off green tips. Gently pull open center of artichoke and, using melon baller or spoon, scoop out small, purple-tipped leaves and fuzzy choke. Using sharp paring knife, trim outside of base until no dark green areas remain, then quarter artichoke, rub cut surfaces with other lemon half, and drop into water. Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.
• In heavy 6-quart pot over moderate heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onions, leek, and garlic, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Drain artichokes and add to pot along with potato chunks, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and 4 cups water. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until artichokes and potato are soft, about 20 minutes.
• Working in 4 batches, purée soup in blender until very smooth, then pour through fine-mesh strainer into clean pot. Set over moderately low heat and stir in juice of remaining lemon. Ladle into shallow bowls and gently place nettle-walnut pesto crostini in center of each.

GARLICKY LEEK AND ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic, and saute 5 minutes or until leeks are softened and translucent. Add broth, artichokes, potatoes, thyme, and 2 cups water; cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; season with salt and pepper, if desired; and simmer, partially covered, 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes and garlic are very tender.
• Remove thyme sprigs and strip remaining thyme leaves into soup pot. Transfer soup to blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to pot and stir in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish each serving with 1 tablespoons prepared pesto.