Potato Soup With Baby Artichokes 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.

POTATO SOUP WITH BABY ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with cold water, and squeeze the juice of 3 lemon halves into water; add rinds. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, remove the tough outer leaves (reserve about 8 cups leaves, and discard remaining). Trim tops so artichokes are 1 inch long. Peel stems to remove tough, dark-green parts, and cut stems flat so that artichokes can stand upright. Rub artichokes with juice from the remaining lemon half; place artichokes in the lemon water. Cover with damp paper towels. Artichokes can be refrigerated in lemon water overnight; cook just before serving.
• Put reserved artichoke leaves and the stock into a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a large bowl, and discard leaves (you should have about 4 cups liquid). Set aside.
• Melt butter in a medium stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes and reserved artichoke broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, fill a clean large stockpot with 2 inches of water. Insert a steamer basket, and bring water to a boil. Add artichoke hearts to steamer basket. Cover, and steam until artichoke hearts are tender but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes (begin checking after 15 minutes). Season with salt. Transfer artichoke hearts to a platter, and cover to keep warm.
• Working in batches, coarsely puree the soup in a food processor (do not over-process). Pass through a medium-mesh sieve into pot. Season with salt and pepper. Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container overnight; reheat over medium-low heat before serving.
• Ladle soup into bowls. Fan leaves of artichoke hearts, if desired; place 3 hearts in each bowl. Garnish soup with chives.

BABY ARTICHOKES WITH POTATOES, GARLIC, OLIVES AND SHRIMP

Steps:

• Prepare artichokes by trimming stem, cutting off pointed tips, removing tough leaves and cutting in half. If there is a choke, remove it. As each artichoke is finished, drop halves into a bowl of cold water with about 10 percent vinegar or lemon juice.
• Put four tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet and turn heat to medium. Drain artichokes and place in skillet. Add potatoes and cook until vegetables are glossy and beginning to soften; do not brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; add thyme and liquid. Bring to a boil, cover and adjust heat so mixture simmers.
• Cook just until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes, then uncover and raise heat again. Stir in olives, shrimp and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until shrimp are pink. Taste and adjust seasoning, then garnish and serve with lemon wedges.

POTATO, SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE SOUP ALA RACHAEL RAY

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold water and bring to a boil.
• Salt the water, lower the heat and simmer until fork tender, approx 15 minute.
• Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot to dry out.
• Place the veggies in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze dry.
• In a med pot, melt the butter in the EVOO over med low heat.
• Add the onion and garlic cook until softened about 5 minute.
• Add the boiled potatoes and milk and mash together (I used an immersion blender).
• Season with salt, pepper and thyme.
• Stir in broth and vegetables and heat through (approx 2 minutes).
• Stir in cheese.

POTATO SOUP WITH BABY ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with cold water, and squeeze the juice of 3 lemon halves into the water; add the rinds. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, remove the tough outer leaves (reserve about 8 cups leaves, and discard remaining). Trim the tops so the artichokes are 1 inch long. Peel the stems to remove tough, dark-green parts, and cut the stems flat so that the artichokes can stand upright. Rub the artichokes with juice from the remaining lemon half; place the artichokes in the lemon water. Cover with damp paper towels. The artichokes can be refrigerated in lemon water overnight; cook just before serving.
• Put the reserved artichoke leaves and the stock into a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a large bowl, and discard the leaves (you should have about 4 cups liquid). Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and reserved artichoke broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, fill a clean large stockpot with 2 inches of water. Insert a steamer basket, and bring water to a boil. Add the artichoke hearts to steamer basket. Cover, and steam until artichoke hearts are tender but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes (begin checking after 15 minutes). Season with salt. Transfer the artichoke hearts to a platter, and cover to keep warm.
• Working in batches, coarsely purée the soup in a food processor (do not overprocess). Pass through a medium-mesh sieve into another pot. Season with salt and pepper. The soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container overnight; reheat over medium-low heat before serving.
• Ladle the soup into bowls. Fan leaves of artichoke hearts, if desired; place 3 hearts in each bowl. Garnish soup with chives.