Artichoke And Green Garlic Soup With Nettle Walnut Pesto Crostini Food

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.

ARTICHOKE WALNUT PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Cook the pasta until al dente.
• In the bowl of a food processor combine the nuts, artichoke hearts, garlic, lemon zest, parsley, cheese, pepper and nutmeg.
• Pulse until chopped.
• Stream in the olive oil until the pesto forms.
• It should be thick and paste-like in consistency.
• Place the pesto in the bottom of a large serving bowl.
• Drain the pasta and add the hot pasta to the bowl.
• Add the arugula and toss to wilt the greens and evenly coat the pasta with the pesto.
• Adjust the salt and pepper and serve hot.

NETTLE-WALNUT PESTO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. In shallow baking pan, toss together walnuts and pine nuts, then place in oven, stirring occasionally, and bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.
• Arrange baguette slices on large baking sheet and bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
• With food processor running, drop in whole garlic cloves. Process until finely chopped, then stop motor and add cooled nuts, salt, pepper, nettles, arugula, and basil. Process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil and process until incorporated. Fold in grated cheese.
• Spread dollop of pesto on each baguette slice and serve with Chef Ryan Hardy's artichoke and green garlic soup

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.

VEGAN KALE AND BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a blender or food processor, combine the kale, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, and nuts, pulsing just until coarsely chopped.
• Slowly add olive oil, lemon juice, and plenty of salt and pepper, blending just until desired consistency is reached.
• For a thinner, saucier pesto, add more olive oil or other liquid.
• Serve and enjoy!

ARTICHOKE SPREAD WITH GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl; transfer to a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low, until cheese is melted, 2-3 hours. Meanwhile, prepare garlic bread according to package directions. Slice and serve with hot dip.

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.

CHICKEN ARTICHOKE SOUP

Steps:

• Precook chicken, maybe boil and use water in soup. Shred chicken.
• Add olive oil, saute onion for 5 minutes. Then add celery and saute for 5 minutes. Then add garlic and saute for another minute.
• Add 1/2 of broth and artichokes, when all vegetables are soften, puree. Then add the rest of the broth and shredded chicken, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.