CREAMY SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE SOUP WITH CRISY PARMESAN ARTICHOKE GARNISH

Soups and Chowders|Ciao Bella|Vegetarian

Ingredients

The Soup:

1 stick butter (8 tablespoons)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup carrot, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

2, 14 ounce cans artichoke hearts, including juices

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon Dish off the Block Ciao Bella Italian Spice Blend

1 ½ cups heavy cream

2 cups chicken stock

1, 10 ounce box frozen spinach, thawed including juices (or cooked in microwave)

¾ cup grated parmesan

The Garnish:

1 can quartered artichoke hearts

¼ cup panko

3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large (5-6 quart) Dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes until the veggies are soft and fragrant. Add the artichokes (and the juices from the cans) to the pot and continue to cook for 2 more minutes allowing some of the juices to reduce.

Add the salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning to the pot and stir to combine. Carefully place the contents of the pot in a blender and process until mostly smooth. Place this mixture back into the pot and add the cream, stock, and spinach (including the juices). Bring to a low boil and gradually stir in the parmesan cheese, ¼ cup at a time. Reduce to a simmer while you make your crispy artichoke garnish

To make the garnish, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain the artichokes and pat them dry with paper towels. Place them in a bowl with the panko, parmesan, and olive oil and toss with your fingers to fully coat the artichokes with the crumb mixture. Place them on the baking sheet with some space in between each. Bake for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy.

Serve the soup hot, topped with a couple of the crispy artichokes. YUM!