Springtime soups often show off the assortment of greens that have just arrived at the farmers market. Sweet peas, asparagus, ramps and Chinese peas are just a few of the myriad greens I love to cook as the weather warms up.
Sometimes I like to combine unlikely but complementary flavors together. The simple white bean often needs some “oomph” to bring out its flavor. Combining white beans and artichoke hearts turns out to be an inspired combination. The artichoke hearts add just a hint of the artichokes’ distinguishing taste. And even though they’re frozen, the artichokes provide the unique flavor in this soup.
If you like a smooth soup, straining the soup creates a silken texture. Sometimes I will use my powerful Vitamix blender if I want to skip the straining step, since it creates a silky, frothy texture. Using frozen artichoke hearts cuts down an enormous amount of preparation time without sacrificing any flavor.
This is easy to make into a full meal. Serve warms chunks of your favorite rustic bread with plates of fruity olive oil. I like to drink a light-oaked Chardonnay or a Beaujolais with this soup.
White Bean and Artichoke Soup
Serves 6
1 cup (1/2 pound) dried white beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3/4-pound frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
7 cups chicken stock
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped, or 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced canned tomatoes
Salt and white pepper or to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
To Garnish:
1/2 cup favorite croutons, optional
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Soak the beans overnight in enough cold water to generously cover or do a quick soak by bringing them to a boil in just enough water to cover, boiling for 2 minutes, then covering and letting stand 1 hour. Drain the beans.
2. In a 6-quart soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil, add the onions, and saute for about 5 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots and saute for 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the artichokes hearts and saute, about 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly softened. Increase the heat to high and add the stock, beans, garlic and tomatoes. When the soup comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 1 to 1 1/4 hours, partially covered, or until the beans are tender.
3. Puree the soup in the pot with a hand blender or in a food processor. At this point, you can strain the soup through a fine-meshed strainer into a large saucepan. If you like it chunkier, partially puree, leaving some texture. Add a bit more stock if too thick. Heat the soup on medium heat and add the salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the parsley and taste for seasoning.
4. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with optional croutons, the remaining parsley, and the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Advance Preparation
The soup can be prepared up to three days ahead through Step 3, covered and refrigerated. Reheat gently.
You can also freeze the soup. Be sure to adjust the seasonings and add fresh herbs when you reheat the frozen soup.
©2022 Diane Rossen Worthington. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
