Artichoke Velouté

Juice of 1/2 lemon
6 large artichokes
¼ cup olive oil
¼ pound shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
5 cups chicken stock
Bouquet garni (2 outer leek leaves; 1/2 rib celery, sliced; 4 sprigs parsley; 1 sprig fresh thyme; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 teaspoon each black and white peppercorns; and 6 coriander seeds tied in a square of cheesecloth)
2 fresh porcini mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
1 ounce foie gras, fresh or canned, finely diced
¾ cup heavy cream
Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
  397 calories; 26 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 58 milligrams cholesterol; 502 milligrams sodium

6 servings

Fill a bowl with cold water; add the lemon juice. Trim the artichoke stems. Bend back the tough outer petals until they snap off. Cut off the tops. Using a sharp-edged spoon, remove and discard the hairy chokes. Slice the artichokes and put in the water.
Drain the artichoke slices. In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the artichoke slices and the shallots, cover and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the stock and the bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until artichokes are tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bouquet garni. In a food processor, purée the mixture in batches; strain each batch through a fine sieve, pressing solids with the back of a spoon.
Slice each mushroom into thirds. Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the mushrooms and sauté until golden. Set aside.
Reheat the soup over medium-low heat. Stir in the foie gras and the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into 6 bowls and garnish each with a mushroom slice.

50 minutes