Artichoke Soup Recipe

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in carrots celery onion and mushrooms. Cook and stir until soft about 5 minutes. Add flour; cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken broth artichoke hearts bay leaf salt pepper thyme leaves oregano leaves sage and paprika. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Beat whipping cream in a bowl on medium-high speed until frothy; fold into soup and continue to cook until soup is heated through (do not boil).

Remove and discard the bay leaf then pour the soup into a blender filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel and carefully start the blender using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.