Three weeks ago I saw artichokes at TJs and it made my heart leap! It meant spring was officially here…well somewhere. New York has been cold, disgusting, and miserable…my East coast friends are like “yep this is spring in New York”. I’m like where is the sunshine? Where are the flowers? How is this awful weather any different then the past few months we’ve endured except for the lack of snow every day. Well that is it…it’s raining instead of snowing everyday. I found this prospect very disheartening. SO when I saw the artichokes it made me think of California. And yes, it might be raining in the bay area or central cali but damn it there would at least be some sunshine sprinkled in there.
Artichokes make me think of this awesome creamy soup I used to get at this cafe in downtown San Francisco. A Creamy Artichoke bisque. UGH soooo good! In the spring you get lots of different versions of artichokes. They start appearing on so many different menus! It made me remember the windy days I sat with a large bowl of artichoke soup with my sour dough bread in hand….windy or not that soup was a little taste of sunshine. So, I decided to invent my own sunshine here in NYC. The artichoke bisque is a pretty standard bisque. You have cream, butter, veggies, stock, and sherry. Okay that’s cool. I decided to also add one of my other favorite veggies: Leeks and a touch of lemon juice to give it a burst. Viola! Creamy Artichoke and Leek soup.
Now, I must first admit two things. 1) I love leeks but, I have never had the guts to actually cut up a whole one and cook with it. When it’s in things at restaurants I am giddy. I buy this leek infused vinaigrette for my salads at this place in the city I love. I like the taste of leeks. I have even bought them pre-sliced and washed. However, when I see them sitting in the vegetable aisle; large in the prehistoric kind of way; I always say I am going to tackle them but walk straight to the precut ones. This time I used the WHOLE LEEK! 2) I also used frozen artichoke hearts…so I did not peel a million artichokes to make this soup.
Now that those two caveats are out of the way let’s talk about the mouth watering little bit of sunshine that is this soup! First it is simple to make. Second it is delicious. Third it is inexpensive. Three things I LOVE TO HEAR about food! This soup also pairs well with just about anything. I grilled a piece of wild sockeye salmon and ate it with the soup. I made a turkey sandwich and ate it with this soup. I had a salad with cheesy sour dough bread and ate it with this soup. It is just a delicious little treat to throw into a meal for days to come. And of course there is the nutrition stand point.
Usually when you think of a bisque we think fattening. It has a ton of butter. It has alcohol. It has cream…and yeah maybe some veggies or seafood thrown in. Well that maybe a typical bisque but, I beg to wager that you won’t miss any of that with this recipe. First, I did use butter but very little and a very high quality butter. SO it is infused with that silky buttery taste but without using a whole stick or two of butter (which many recipe call for). I use sherry but really you don’t have to pour the whole bottle in and besides you’re cooking with it so the alcohol burns off. I also upped the veggie quotient to it’s max. Then I use a lower fat cream option for that same creamy taste we expect with a lot less fat. This time I used low fat cream but you can also use fat free greek yogurt, low fat half and half, or a mix of nonfat milk and some light cream…the options are endless.
So now that we have minimized the possible downside of a recipe of this nature let’s get down to the pure nutrition of this dish. 1) it is 99% veggies. Hello good for you without even thinking about it. 2) the veggies involved are high fiber and nutrient dense. Again healthy without even trying and most importantly 3) it tastes good!!!! So again healthy without even noticing. If you read my blog a few weeks ago about artichokes you know just how unbelievably nutritious they are and how amazing they are for your liver. HELLO. But Leeks, which belong to the same family as onions and garlic are also very good to add to a healthy diet. They are milder then both garlic and onions to the taste buds…so for my friends (cough Shari…cough Roxanne..cough) that don’t like onions. Leeks are a great thing to throw into a dish for added flavor with few calories, but also not overwhelming to a dish.
This creamy soup is a good way to sneak veggies into the diets of kids or the reluctant adult who doesn’t believe in vegetables. Soups are also super easy to make, great for freezing, and can jazz up a routine meal without a lot of work. I am a BIG believer in soups…I hope this soup makes you a believer too. Most of all, I hope it adds just a dash of sunshine into your day. It most definitely added some to mine!
Bon Appetit~
CREAMY ARTICHOKE & LEEK SOUP
1-2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup of dry sherry (or dry wine)
1 medium sized onion
1 shallot
2-4 cloves garlic
1 large leek
2 quarts stock: chicken, veggie, or seafood stock
2 lbs artichokes hearts
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice or 1 lemon slice
Sea salt to taste
Cayenne Pepper (optional)
Green Onion (garnish/optional)
Parsley (garnish/optional)
Garlic Powder (optional)
Onion Powder (optional)
Sourdough Bread!!!
1) Chop veggies: leeks, onion, shallots, garlic, artichoke hearts
2) Put a stock pot on medium heat & add butter
3) Add vegetables, stock, and sherry
4) Stir. Cover with lid. Leave it the hell alone for 30-40 mins.
5) Taste
1) Add another splash of sherry and lemon juice.
1) Leave alone for 5 mins.
1) Add desired seasoning (optional)
1) Turn off heat and blend to desired consistency
1) Add Cream
1) Serve with copious amounts of garlic sour dough bread!
Nutritional Tidbits
Artichokes: fiber, folate, magnesium, vitamin C, iron, calcium, phosphorus, B6/Folate, zinc, niacin, thiamin, copper, manganese, Vit A, Vit K, protein, carotenoids (lutein & zeaxanthin), and liver protective silymarin and cynarine. Low Fat, Low Calorie, Low Cholesterol. Drink too much? Eat too many fatty foods? Do you have digestive issues? Then artichokes should definitely be added to your diet! Artichokes are high in insoluble fiber, which helps in cleaning the intestinal tract, aids digestion, helps control weight and blood sugar levels, and nourishes the colon, among other things. Just 4-5 small artichoke hearts gives you 4.5 grams of fiber. The cynarine in artichokes also stimulates the production of bile. Bile acid is a critical part of digestion, absorption of fats, fat-soluble vitamins in the small intestine, part of controlling healthy cholesterol levels, and stimulates the liver.
Leeks: Manganese, Vitamin C, iron, folate, B6, and fiber. Leeks, like garlic and onions, belong to a vegetable family called the Allium vegetables. Since leeks are related to garlic and onions, they contain many of the same beneficial compounds. One of which is is the flavonoid kaempferol, which has repeatedly been shown to help protect our blood vessel linings from damage, including damage by overly reactive oxygen molecules. I have highlighted folate on several of my previous blogs but it’s importance is highly significant for all of us so it bears to be repeated. Vitamin B6 is particularly important for a healthy immune system and nerve function. In addition, Vitamin B6 may increase the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain that acts as a natural relaxant. Folic acid (known as “folate” in food sources) is another B-vitamin related to serotonin levels. Low levels of folate decreases serotonin production. Foods rich in both Vitamin B6 and folate include legumes, bananas, nuts, fish, leafy green vegetables and poultry. The importance of Fiber in our diet is a blog waiting to happen. Although I haven’t gotten around to it yet let’s just stress that fiber is necessary for maintaining proper digestion, removing harmful waste from the body, and keeping us generally “moving” in the right direction.
Shallots: Vitamin C, B6/Folate, Vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc, iron, and phosphorus. Shallots belong to the Allium family, along with onions, garlic and leeks. A relative of onion, shallots are, however, smaller in size and sweeter to taste. Much like garlic, their bulb divides into multiple sections. Shallots can be easily digested and contain 6 times more phenolics than the lowest-ranked onion, the Vidalia. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and folic acid and also contain calcium, iron and protein in large quantities. Shallots also contain anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties. There has been much research around Shallots and their anti-cancerous properties. They have been shown as an effective tool in fighting liver & stomach cancers, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular issues as it produces an anti-coagulant that thins the blood and exhibit strong anti-platelet activity, useful in maintaining proper blood sugar levels, and shallots contain sulfur that can possibly make the skin look younger.
COMMENTS:
JIM~ I TRIED IT TONIGHT..IT WAS AWESOME! I WAS STARVING. KEEP UP THE INCREDIBLE WORK.
BRANDY~ I LOVE FINGERLICKINKITCHEN.COM!!!
ROXANNE~ OMG YOUR EPISODE OF CREAMY ARTICHOKE SOUP MADE ME HUNGRY! I’M TOTALLY TRYING IT LATER THIS WEEK.
MARISA SHELBY~ I’M ADDING YOUR SOUP RECIPE TO MY REPERTOIRE. JUST SO YOU KNOW.
