Artichoke Velouté

Step 1

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.

Step 2

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.

Step 3

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.

Step 4

Slice each mushroom into thirds. Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the mushrooms and sauté until golden. Set aside.

Step 5

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.