Saveur

Photo: Sarah Karnasiewicz

SERVES 6

This recipe is based on a comforting dish served at Duarte's Tavern in Pescadero, California.

2 lbs. frozen artichoke hearts,
   thawed and roughly chopped
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cups chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground
   white pepper, to taste
1⁄3 cup cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges
Sourdough bread, for serving

1. Working in batches, purée 2 cups artichoke hearts with 2 cups water in a blender. Transfer puréed artichokes to a 6-qt. pot with the butter, chicken broth, garlic, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. (Stir soup occasionally so the soup at the bottom of the pot doesn't scorch.)

2. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch with 1⁄2 cup cold water. Vigorously whisk cornstarch mixture and heavy cream into soup. Raise heat to medium-high and cook, whisking frequently, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain soup through a mesh strainer into a clean pot over low heat; discard solids. Ladle soup into 6 bowls, garnish with parsley, and squeeze a lemon wedge over each. Serve with warm sourdough bread.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #118