Artichoke Soup

Ingredients

• 8 artichokes
• 2 medium potatoes (starchy cooking)
• 1 onion
• 1 stalk Celery
• 1 l vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp crème fraîche
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 2 tsp butter
• Olive oil (extra virgin)
• 3 large garlic cloves (sliced)
• rosemary sprig (for garnish)
• 1 lemon (juice)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Clean the artichokes. Remove the outer hard leaves generously. Trim the tips, then halve each artichoke, remove the inner fuzzy part and cut into thin slivers. Cut off the stem, peel and chop it. Place about one‑third of the artichokes in water with lemon juice and set aside.

2. 2.

   Peel and finely chop the onion. Wash the celery and slice it thinly. Peel and dice the potatoes. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pot and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the celery and cook briefly, then add the artichokes and potatoes. Sauté well, pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 40 minutes over medium heat. Remove from the stove, puree the soup and strain through a sieve. If needed, add more broth. Stir in butter and crème fraîche, season with salt and pepper.

3. 3.

   Heat 5–6 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the raw artichokes (patted dry) until golden brown on both sides. Lift them out and drain on kitchen paper, then season with salt and pepper. Fry the garlic slices in the remaining oil until golden brown, remove immediately. Ladle soup into bowls, top each with roasted artichokes and garlic slices. Sprinkle with pepper and garnish with rosemary flowers before serving.