POTATO SOUP WITH BABY ARTICHOKES

Potato Soup with Baby Artichokes image

Categories Potato Steam Low Sodium Artichoke Simmer Boil

Yield serves 8

Number Of Ingredients 9

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Ingredients

2 lemons, halved crosswise
24 baby artichokes
6 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small onions, finely chopped
Coarse salt
Freshly ground white pepper
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
Fresh chives, cut into 1-inch pieces, for garnish

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.