Chef Patrice Olivon

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Artichoke and Chestnut Velouté with Caramelized Apples

I love smooth, creamy soups, so I like to call this one "velouté" which is French for "velour," meaning "velvety." Artichokes are one of my favorite vegetables to work with because they are so versatile, and I love their sophisticated, refined flavor. As a boy in southern France, I looked forward to eating chestnuts when the first chill was in the air. I created this soup to celebrate these two ingredients – to me, it is a delicious reminder that fall is here and winter is on its way soon. It is deliciously rich even though it contains no cream or butter.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 4 appetizer portions

Ingredients
1 package DOLE^® Artichokes (4 fresh artichokes per package)
2 tablespoons California certified extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup DOLE Celery Hearts, chopped
1/2 cup leeks, chopped
1 cup chestnuts, peeled
2 cloves garlic
3 cups chicken stock
1 Granny Smith apple
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 cup calvados (apple brandy)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnish
4-5 sprigs chervil
1 teaspoon pistachio oil

Methode
Prepare the artichokes: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the artichokes and boil for 45 minutes to an hour until their centers are tender. While the artichokes are boiling, prepare an ice bath: place 4 cups of ice cubes in a large bowl and add about 2 quarts of cold water. Using tongs, remove the artichokes from the boiling water and submerge them in the ice bath to stop the cooking process. When they are cool, drain off the water. One at a time, carefully remove all of the leaves and the inside "fur" by hand - what remains will be the heart of the artichoke. Cut the heart of the artichoke in quarters. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 artichokes and set the quartered artichoke hearts aside.

Prepare the soup: In a medium pot over low heat, heat the California certified extra virgin olive oil until it shimmers. Add the leeks, garlic, and celery. Season the mixture with salt and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the artichokes, the chestnuts and the chicken stock, cover the pot with a lid (the cover will keep the liquid from reducing too fast), bring the ingredients to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.

Blend the soup: Transfer the mixture to a blender and process until the soup is smooth. Chill the soup in the refrigerator if you are planning to serve it cold, otherwise, keep the lid of the blender on so the soup will remain hot.

Prepare the garnish: Peel the apple, remove the core, and dice it finely. In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the diced apple with the sugar until it caramelizes into a nice medium brown color. Deglaze with the calvados, using the liquid to loosen any bits on the bottom of the pan. Take the apples off the heat and set them aside.

Garnish the soup and serve: Serve the velouté either hot or cold. Garnish the soup with the caramelized apple, chervil and a few drops of pistachio oil.

"Dinner is Served. Bon Appetit!" — Chef Patrice Olivon

Try serving this as a first course, then follow it with Pan Seared Chicken Breast on a Bed of Sauteed Spinach with Baby Arugula and Spinach Pesto, Tomato Sauce and Blue Cheese along with Grilled Caesar Salad with Parmesan Lollipops.

From: Dinner is Served, a public television series
© 2009 Fresh TV Creative, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
DOLE is a registered trademark of Dole Food Company, Inc.

For more information about Chef Patrice and Dinner is Served,
visit www.chefpatrice.tv