Nibble Me This Artichoke & Spinach Bisque
Traditionally, a bisque uses seafood but according to wiki, a thick and richly seasoned soup made from vegetables can also be a bisque. I dont care what you call it, because this is an excellent dish!
Traditionally, a bisque uses seafood but according to wiki, a thick and richly seasoned soup made from vegetables can also be a bisque. I dont care what you call it, because this is an excellent dish!
- salt to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 teaspoons flour
- 8 tbs. butter
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 stalk celery finely diced
- 1 1/2 ea onion diced
- 1/2 bunch green onion chopped
- 2 cloves of roasted garlic
- 1 can artichoke hearts with juices (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup spinach fresh, rinsed and chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon tabasco
- Carbohydrate 10.6593545908304 g
- Cholesterol 490.250507280999 mg
- Fat 182.571421340357 g
- Fiber 0.743457585972484 g
- Protein 12.3816750381179 g
- Saturated Fat 115.400102025647 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (755g)
- Sodium 2210.0737262397 mg
- Sugar 9.91589700485787 g
- Trans Fat 12.6709344187228 g
- Calories 1698 calories
Step-by-step
- Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Whisk in flour over low heat and whisk constantly for 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in beef stock after that. Then add celery, onions, green onions, bay leaf, thyme and garlic. Simmer for 45 minutes.
- Finely chop artichoke hearts, chop the spinach and add to the mixture, continue simmering another 30 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool slightly and then puree it in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender.
- Add cream, wine, Tabasco, and salt & pepper to taste. Bring back just to a simmer, garnish with whatever you like (croutons, fried leeks, sour cream, etc), and serve. Pictured today garnished with fried leeks and thyme.
Most home cooks ruin this soup by adding the heavy cream and white wine before the initial flour-and-butter base has fully cooked out its raw starch flavor. Precision matters here, especially regarding how this emulsion handles storage.
- Cook the initial roux over low heat for a full 5 minutes; rushing this step leaves a pasty, uncooked flour taste in the final broth.
- Puree the vegetable base in batches using a standing blender rather than an immersion tool if a completely silky, velvety mouthfeel is desired.
- Store this soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 2 months before adding the dairy component.
- Reheat refrigerated portions gently over medium-low heat, whisking continuously to prevent the high butter content from breaking and separating.
