Source: Adrienne Meier, Ocean Mist Farms

Serves: 8

Ingredients

4 cooked, Ocean Mist Artichoke Heart bottoms and stems (See "How to Prepare & Cook")
5 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon
bacon drippings from cooked bacon
4 stalks of Celery chopped
3 Carrots chopped
1 yellow Onion, chopped
4 large Potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon salt free garlic and herb seasoning
1 tablespoon dried herbs of Provence
1 tablespoon Beau Monde seasoning
1 can (40 1/2 ounce) of chicken broth or 5 cups of Artichoke broth (water that Artichokes were cooked in)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups of scalded half & half
4 cans (each 6.5 ounce) minced clams in clam juice

Directions

In large dutch oven over medium-high heat saute in bacon drippings, Celery, Carrots and Onion until tender. Add Potatoes, seasoning and liquid.

Bring to a boil, reduce soup to a simmer and cook until Potatoes are fork tender. Add Artichokes and continue to simmer soup while making roux.

In medium saute pan, melt butter over medium heat and whisk in flour. Continue to whisk over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add scalded half & half to flour and butter mixture and whisk until mixture is smooth and thick (like cream of wheat). Add flour & cream mixture to simmering soup and stir until thick and well combined.

Take soup off flame and with hand held food processor puree soup to a course puree, leaving some chunks of potato and Artichoke. Return back to flame and add clams along with the clam juice and stir until well combined and piping hot.

Serve in bowls with crumbled bacon as garnish.