Artichoke and Broad Bean Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 large artichokes
water
salt and pepper
1 clove garlic chopped
30 grams Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
45 ml olive oil
water
1 onion, chopped
1 kilo young broad beans, shelled
extra virgin olive oil ( optional)
extra parsley, chopped (optional)

Method

To prepare artichokes, hold your finger on the base and break off the outer leaves. Be careful not to lose the fleshy part at the base as this should be retained for eating. Keep all the top. Break off the stalks at the point where they are tough. You then peel off the outside of the stalk, keep all the inside tender part. Feel this with your fingers or even with a knife. Cut when it starts to get hard.

Wash the artichokes first, then split and scrape out the choke and discard them. Quarter artichokes and put in a pan with very little water and some oil, salt and pepper. Add quite a lot of salt and a mixture of ground black and white pepper and roughly chopped garlic. Cover and let cook gently

If the artichokes are new season, they will take 15-20 minutes to cook, but cooking time depends on the quality of the artichokes.When nearly cooked, take the lid off for the last few minutes to reduce liquid a little. Add the chopped parsley.

Altogether cooking time should be about 20 minutes, but when they are really tender, they take even less. Be careful not to overcook as the natural juices will dry out.

Separately fry the onions and the broad beans and then add some water and salt, pepper.When they are both cooked combine together in flat soup bowls to serve,. You can drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and garnish with more parsley ‚ if you like the look and taste of parsley as much as I do. (there's an Italian saying ‚ that , 'you can't spoil (a dish) with too much parsley')

The soup/stew can be eaten hot, warm or cold. It makes a delicious first course. Served with some toasted ciabatta underneath it also makes a very healthy lunch dish.