Lemony Tuscan Artichoke Soup (Print Version)
Ingredients:
01 -
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil.
02 -
3 stalks celery, diced.
03 -
1 medium yellow onion, diced.
04 -
4 cloves garlic (two if very large), minced or crushed.
05 -
Pinch red pepper flakes.
06 -
28 ounces canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (2 cans).
07 -
1/2 cup marinated sun dried tomatoes, sliced.
08 -
32 ounces chicken stock or broth.
09 -
1 Tbs. lemon juice.
10 -
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
11 -
1/2 cup heavy cream (or half and half).
12 -
1 cup packed fresh spinach (use baby spinach or cut regular spinach into thinner shreds).
13 -
1 cup shredded or grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese.
Instructions:
01 -
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.
02 -
Sauté the celery, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes for about 5 minutes to soften, stirring often.
03 -
Add the artichokes to the pan along with the sun-dried tomatoes, chicken stock, and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
04 -
Stir the spinach into the soup. Add the heavy cream (or half and half) and bring the soup back to a simmer.
05 -
Add salt and pepper to taste. Off the heat, stir in the cheese. Serve the soup topped with a little more cheese and pepper.
Notes:
01 -
This soup serves 6-8 people. It can be made ahead up to the point where you add the spinach and cream, then reheated just before serving. You can customize the soup by adding pasta, beans, rotisserie chicken, or cooked sausage if desired. For more color, you can add a pinch of saffron threads.