- 20 oysters
8 medium or six large artichokes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups organic vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 scallions finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fennel root
1/4 cup minced celery
Salt & White Pepper to taste
- Fill a large deep saucepan with just enough water to cover the artichokes.
- Cover the pan loosely and boil for half an hour until the leaves pull away easily.
- Remove leaves and choke, chop the heart and stem coarsely, and set aside in a bowl.
- Shuck the oysters, reserving and straining their liquor through a cheesecloth.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour.
- Cook for just a minute over a very low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Add the white wine, stock, cream, chopped fennel, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Stir as you bring this to a very low simmer for about twenty minutes.
- Remove the seasoned and thickened stock from the heat and let it cool.
- Add the artichoke hearts and stems, the oyster liquor, and eight oysters.
- Briefly Pulse in a blender to a rough texture.
- When ready to serve, bring the soup gently up to heat, then add the chopped scallions.
- Cook for a minute or two, and then add the remaining dozen oysters into the soup.
- Watching carefully, simmering just until the edges of the oysters just begin to curl.
- Remove the soup from the heat and serve with a crisp Reisling and fresh yeasty bread.