• Cuisine: French
• Course: Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, rinsed and patted dry, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 large lemon, halved
• 2 large artichokes, stems intact and ends trimmed
• 3 medium leeks
• 1 pound (about 2 medium) zucchini, ends trimmed
• 1 (about 1 pound) large fennel bulb, trimmed and outer layer removed
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 cup)
• 1 strip orange peel, about 1 inch wide by 3 inches long
• 8 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
• Pinch saffron threads
• 1/2 star anise
• 2 cups tomato-based vegetable juice, such as V8
• 1 cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
• 2 tablespoons anise-flavored liqueur, such as Pernod
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound baby spinach, stemmed, rinsed well and patted dry
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 ribs celery, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
• 8 slices French bread, cut diagonally into long, 1-inch-thick slices and lightly toasted, for garnish

Directions:

Prepare the aioli: Place a steamer basket in a medium saucepan filled with 1 inch of water. Over medium-high heat, bring the water barely to a boil. Place the potato cubes in the basket, cover and cook/steam for about 20 minutes, until completely tender when pierced with a knife. Transfer the potatoes to a food processor. Add the garlic, egg yolk and about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to allow the blade to turn; process until the mixture is smooth. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the remaining oil, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Season the aioli to taste with salt, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. (If the aioli seems too heavy, lighten it by adding a tablespoon of water.) Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving (30 minutes).

For the soup: To prepare the artichokes, fill a large bowl with water and squeeze half a lemon into it. Set aside.
Peel off and discard the outer 3 layers of leaves from each artichoke and use a sharp paring knife to cut away 2 inches from each top. Cut around the outside perimeters of the artichokes to remove the remaining leaves and then down the stems to remove the tough, bright-green outer flesh. Rub the exposed surfaces with the other lemon half to prevent discoloration. Cut the artichokes into 8 pieces (like a pizza) and then slice away all traces of the fuzzy choke from each of the 8 hearts. Rub each piece with the lemon half and place in the bowl of lemon water. Set aside. When ready to use, remove the artichokes from the water and pat them dry on paper towels.

Cut each leek lengthwise into quarters and cut each one crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Place them in a large bowl of warm water and use your hands to separate the rings and remove all of the sand from them. Skim the leeks from the water and pat them dry on paper towels.

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then into 1/2-inch half-moon slices.

Cut the fennel bulb into quarters and cut those into 6 1/2- to 7-inch slices. (They don’t need to be even.) Rinse the slices in a large bowl of warm water (as with the leeks), then remove and pat dry on paper towels.

Place a large, heavy casserole over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion and artichoke hearts. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the leeks and orange peel, then the garlic, saffron and star anise, stirring to combine. Add the fennel, then the juice, wine, anise-flavored liqueur, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until the artichokes are cooked through (but still firm) and the leeks are tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove and discard the thyme sprig, bay leaf and orange peel. Add the zucchini, baby spinach and sugar, stirring to combine. Cook for a few minutes until the spinach has wilted. Add salt as necessary. Add the celery and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

To assemble: Divide the soup among shallow bowls. Spread the aioli on the toasted French bread slices. Sprinkle them with the chopped parsley, and garnish each bowl with 2 slices. Serve immediately.

Recipe Source:

From chef Michel Richard.

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