Fresh Artichoke crémeux soup
The base of this soup is made with artichoke hearts. We were able to find some fresh artichokes but you can also use canned or frozen ones.
The trick to making a good cream of artichokes is in refining the texture. Using the artichoke cooking water to maximise flavour and passing the mixture through a sieve are important parts of making this dish spectacular.
Don’t wait until winter kicks in. Although crémeux translates into creamy, and artichokes are rich in flavour, this soup is light and therefore suitable to serve any time of the year.
Use verinnes to serve and to mix up the bites at a garden or cocktail party, or simply serve as a soup.
Read also about other artichoke recipes.
How to clean an artichoke
Follow the step by step instructions in the video.
Artichokes crémeux soup
The trick to making a good cream of artichokes is in refining the texture.
EQUIPMENT (click pictures for details)
Ingredients
- 8-10 pcs fresh artichoke hearts
- ¼ pc lemon
- 750 ml vegetable stock
- 100 ml milk
- 120 ml whipping cream
- Bay leaf – thyme
- Stale bread
Instructions
Prepare the croutons
- Cut the crust away from the bread, then cut the croutons. Heat a large amount of olive oil over medium heat in a sauté pan. Shallow fry the croutons until golden brown and crispy. Place the croutons on a kitchen towel and sprinkle some salt.
Cook the artichokes
- Place the cleaned quartered artichoke hearts in a large cooking pot with the lemon, vegetable stock, 50 ml olive oil, bay leaf, thyme and a good pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-25 minutes until the artichokes are soft and tender.
Prepare the artichokes crémeux
- Use a hand blender or place the cooked artichokes in the food processor (reserve a few to garnish the soup) and cover with the strained cooking water.
- Blend until smooth before gradually adding milk to obtain a silky texture.
- Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and season to taste.
Presentation of the dish
- Pour the artichoke crémeux into the plate and garnish with pan fried artichoke pieces. Add croutons and spoon whipped cream on top.
Notes
- Replace the croutons with some toasted slivered almonds.
Nutrition for 1 portion
Calories: 129kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 12gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 780mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 881IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
