Cream of Artichoke Soup With Chervil and Fried Artichokes

Posted by request...This recipe is from THE PANERA BREAD COOKBOOK: Breadmaking Essentials and Recipes from America's Favorite Bakery-Cafe by the Panera Bread Team. Recipes by Ward Bradshaw and Joel Cammett. © 2004 by Panera Bread.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 4  quarts water
• 8  whole artichokes
• 1  lemon, juice of
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 8  tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 7  cups  vegetable stock or 7  cups  chicken stock
• 6  slices  panera's  country bread, crusts removed
• 1  cup fresh chervil, packed
•  vegetable oil, for frying
• 1  cup heavy cream
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring the water to a boil in an 8-quart pot.
2. Trim the top third off each artichoke and discard, along with the stems. The bottom two-thirds of each artichoke should remain in tact.
3. Set 2 artichoke bottoms aside, quarter the other 6 artichoke bottoms and toss with the lemon juice and olive oil.
4. Transfer quartered artichokes, lemon juice, and oil to the water and boil for 10 minutes. Drain artichokes.
5. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a 4-quart pot and add the cooked artichokes.
6. Stir them over low heat for about 10 minutes, be careful not to let the butter burn.
7. Pour in the stock and boil for 20 minutes.
8. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Dip the bread slices into the melted butter and sauté over medium heat until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
9. Add the cooked bread to the pot with the artichokes and simmer for 5 minutes.
10. Remove from heat and add the cream.
11. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
12. Puree the soup in a food processor, then run it through a food mill until smooth.
13. Cool 1-1/2 cups of soup in the freezer.
14. Puree the chervil in the chilled soup (make sure the soup is cold before you puree the chervil, because if it is hot, the chervil will turn brown).
15. Heat the chervil mixture to 200ºF.
16. Thinly slice the reserved artichoke bottoms and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
17. Drain on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
18. Evenly distribute the hot soup among 8 bowls. Drizzle the chervil mixture over the soup and garnish with the fried artichokes.