Artichoke Soup

Method

At his Beard House dinner, Josh Thomsen topped this soup with a lobster foam. For something less technically ambitious, try a garnish of chives or finely chopped lobster meat.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced fennel
• 1/2 cup diced leeks
• 1/2 cup diced white onions
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 4 cups baby artichokes, outer leaves removed, halved
• 4–6 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups heavy cream

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the fennel, leeks, onions, and celery until the onions are translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the artichokes and continue to sauté. As the artichokes begin to soften, add 4 cups of vegetable stock. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes.

Transfer the contents of the pot to a food processor. Add the cream and purée until smooth. If it’s too thick, add the remaining vegetable stock to achieve the desired consistency.

Yield

4 to 6 servings