Taste the World: Chicken, Globe Artichoke, Lemon & Dill Soup

Experience what the world has to offer with a recipe from acclaimed Chef Dave Verheul. As part of our Taste Dining at Home series, in partnership with Taste Festivals, we’ve invited globally renowned chefs to create recipes to help you make the most out of every day at home. 

To follow along with Chef Dave as he makes the full recipe, watch the video below. And to find Chef Victor’s Crossing the Bridge Noodles recipe also featured in this video, click here.

 

Chicken, Globe Artichoke, Lemon & Dill Soup

By Chef Dave Verheul

What You’ll Need (Serves 2)

3 chicken thighs, bone out
50 ml good olive oil
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1500 ml chicken stock
4 globe artichokes
1 bay leaf
1 rosemary sprig
1½ cups cooked rice
20 ml olive oil
20 g dill
30 g parsley
1 lemon

How to Prepare It

Place your frying pan over a high heat with some cooking oil.

Season the chicken thighs well and place the chicken in the pan. Make sure when placing the chicken that they don’t crowd each other.

Cook over a high heat until they start to caramelize, then turn the heat down slightly and continue to cook until they look like they’re cooked ⅔ of the way through.

At this point, turn the thighs over, turn off the heat and leave until cooked through, around 5 minutes.

To prep the artichokes, take a small paring knife and, starting near the stem, carefully pull off individual leaves while working your way around the artichoke. Keep going until the leaves turn mostly yellow and feel tender. Using the tip of the knife, carefully cut away the green outer skin that covers the heart and stem.

Cut the tough top ⅓ off the leaves and then cut the artichoke in half vertically. Using a small spoon, scoop out the furry stuff and get rid of anything that feels tough.

Slice the artichoke as thin as you can and place into a bowl with enough cold water to cover and the juice of half a lemon. Drain before you add to the soup.

Cut the onion in half lengthways and then dice and also slice the garlic cloves finely.

In a medium pot, add the onion, garlic and olive oil. Cook over a low to medium heat until soft, but without any color.

Add the chicken stock, bay leaf and rosemary and bring to a boil.

Add the sliced artichoke and simmer until the artichoke is cooked.

Add the cooked rice and simmer for 5 minutes.

Chop the chicken thighs and add, along with the chopped dill, parsley and zest of half the lemon.

Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Tips from Chef Dave:

• Cooking the chicken like this gives it a delicious, caramelized depth that can be used in many different ways.
• This soup really benefits from good chicken stock, so try making some at home yourself and any extra can be kept frozen for future use.
• While I do think it’s best with chicken, you could omit it, sub in some vegetable stock and spinach, and you have a great vegetarian version.
• If artichokes are too daunting, you could use fennel, kale or peas.
• For a light, clean twist, add some ginger, use lime and flip the herbs into Thai basil.