Spinach-Artichoke Soup

A delicious pairing of arthichokes and spinach in a creamy soup base. Makes a beautiful presentation piece.

Recipe is from Food Network Magazine.

Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆ 0 votes

Serves:

Prep:

24 Hr 25 Min

Cook:

20 Min

Method:

Stove Top

Ingredients

2 Tbsp: unsalted butter
1 medium: leek (white and light green parts only) halved, thinly sliced and well rinsed
1 stalk(s): celery, chopped
: kosher salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp: chopped fresh thyme
1 clove: garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp: all-purpose flour
3 c: low-sodium chicken broth
1: 9-oz. pkg. frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1: bay leaf
: zest of 1/2 lemon (removed with a vegetable peeler -- zest will be removed at a later time)
1/2 c: (plus 2 teaspoons) heavy cream
3 oz: baby spinach
1 c: fresh parsley
1/4 c: (plus 2 tbsp.) creme fraiche
: chopped fresh chives, for topping

1Melt the butter in a medium Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the leek and celery; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and garlic, then sprinkle in the flour. Cook, stirring until the vegetables are coated with flour - 1 to 2 minutes.
2Add the chicken broth, artichokes, bay leaf and lemon zest to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are very tender, 10-12 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and the spinach; cook until the spinach is wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and lemon zest.
3Working in small batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree with the parsley and 1/2 cup creme fraiche until smooth. Retrn to the pot, season with salt and reheat.
4Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons creme fraiche and 2 tsp. heavy cream . Ladle the soup into small glasses; top with the thinned creme fraiche and chives.