Crème d'Artichauts à la Noisette (Cream of Artichoke Soup with Hazelnuts)

Ingredients

• 8 medium artichoke bottoms
• butter
• 1 litre sauce Béchamel
• 4 fine hazelnuts
• a quarter of a litre Consommé blanc
• cream

Instructions

1. Blanch the 8 artichoke bottoms.
2. Slice 6 of them and keep 2 whole; stew them all in butter without colouring.
3. Set the two whole bottoms aside for the garnish.
4. Add the sliced bottoms to the sauce Béchamel with the roasted and crushed hazelnuts, and cook 10 minutes.
5. Pass through the étamine, bring to point with the Consommé blanc and heat.
6. Finish at the moment of serving with the cream.
7. Garnish with the reserved bottoms cut into small dice.