Tuscan Artichoke Soup (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
3 celery stalks, chopped into small pieces.
02 -
1 medium onion, yellow, finely diced.
03 -
2 tablespoons of good-quality olive oil.
04 -
1/2 cup of sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced.
05 -
4 garlic cloves (or 2 large ones), minced or smashed.
06 -
A tiny pinch of red pepper flakes, to your liking.
07 -
2 large cans (28 oz total) of artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped.
08 -
1/2 cup of heavy cream or a lighter half-and-half option.
09 -
1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
10 -
32 ounces of chicken broth or stock—your choice.
11 -
Fresh spinach, either 1 cup of baby spinach or regular spinach cut into thin strips.
12 -
Fine sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.
13 -
1 cup of Parmesan or Asiago cheese, shredded or grated.
# Instructions:
01 -
Warm up a sturdy soup pot or Dutch oven with the olive oil over medium heat.
02 -
Throw in the diced celery, onion, garlic, and a tiny dash of red pepper flakes. Let them cook for about 5 minutes, giving them a good stir every so often.
03 -
Stir in the artichokes with the sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Pour in the broth and the lemon juice, then bring everything to a gentle boil. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
04 -
Stir in the spinach, letting it soften in the heat. Follow up by adding in the heavy cream or half-and-half, and let the soup gently bubble again.
05 -
Sprinkle in salt and pepper for flavor. Turn off the heat, then stir in the grated cheese. Dish out the soup and top with extra cheese if you’d like.
# Notes:
01 -
Enough to satisfy 6 to 8 hungry folks.
02 -
You can prep this and stop just before adding the spinach and cream. Later, reheat it and finish it up before serving.
03 -
Feel free to mix it up—toss in cooked sausage, rotisserie chicken, beans, or even some pasta to make it heartier.
04 -
For a pop of color, toss in a pinch of saffron threads while cooking.