Artichoke Cream

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  First, clean the artichokes. Cut off the woody stem, then cut off 1/3 of the artichoke tip, and peel the leaves until only the yellow leaves remain. Cut the artichoke lengthwise in half and scrape out the 'choke' from the center. Immediately place the artichokes into a bowl with water and half of the lemon juice to prevent them from blackening.
• 2
  In a small pot, sauté finely chopped shallots and sliced garlic in butter until translucent. Then add the artichokes and pour in the broth. Add whole sprigs of herbs, the other half of the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Then cook for approximately 20 minutes until softened.
• 3
  Remove the woody parts of the herbs and blend the soup. Strain through a fine sieve to get a smooth cream. Finally, pour in the cream and 2/3 of the Parmesan, simmer briefly, and season with salt and pepper if needed. Toast the bread, e.g., in a toaster, until crispy, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake briefly until the cheese melts; a microwave oven is sufficient. Cut into cubes and serve with the artichoke cream.