Recipes › Soup › Vellutata Di Cardi Cardoon Soup Recipe

Vellutata Di Cardi Cardoon Soup Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Vellutata di cardi is a silky, elegant Italian soup that celebrates the delicate, slightly sweet flavor of cardoons, a vegetable prized in Mediterranean cuisine. This Piedmont and Lombardy specialty combines tender cardoon stalks with cream and broth to create a refined first course that is both comforting and sophisticated. The soup's velvety texture and subtle artichoke-like taste make it a memorable showcase of Italian seasonal cooking.

Ingredients

• 800g fresh cardoon stalks, cleaned and cut into 5cm pieces (28 oz)
• 1 medium potato (150g), peeled and diced (5 oz)
• 1 small yellow onion (80g), finely sliced (3 oz)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (30g)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (15ml)
• 1 liter vegetable or chicken broth (34 fl oz)
• 120ml heavy cream (4 fl oz)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• 30g Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (1 oz)
• 3g fresh thyme leaves (optional)
• 15ml lemon juice (1 tbsp)

Instructions

1. Prepare the cardoons by cutting off the outer fibrous layers with a vegetable peeler or small knife, then slice the tender inner stalks into 5cm pieces. Place immediately in a bowl of water with the lemon juice to prevent browning.

2. In a large pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and crushed garlic cloves, stirring gently until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.

3. Drain the cardoon pieces and add them to the pot along with the diced potato. Stir to coat with the butter and oil, cooking for 2 minutes.

4. Pour in the broth and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until both the cardoons and potato are completely tender and easily pierced with a fork.

5. Remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth and velvety, working in short pulses to achieve an even consistency.

6. Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, heating through gently without boiling for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

7. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Garnish each portion with a small handful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a pinch of fresh thyme if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

Substitutions

• For dairy-free: replace heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk or oat cream, maintaining the same volume and richness.
• For gluten-free: use certified gluten-free broth; the recipe is naturally gluten-free.
• For lower fat: use half-and-half or milk instead of heavy cream, resulting in a slightly lighter but still creamy soup.
• For vegetarian: ensure vegetable broth is used instead of chicken broth.

Tips

• Cardoons oxidize quickly once cut; acidulated water (water with lemon juice) prevents browning and keeps the soup's pale green color pure.
• For the smoothest texture, blend in stages if using an immersion blender, ensuring no lumps remain.
• White pepper is traditional in this soup rather than black pepper, as it doesn't create dark specks in the pale puree.
• Prepare cardoons fresh on the day of cooking for optimal flavor; they do not store well after cleaning.

Vellutata di cardi is a traditional Piedmont and Lombardy soup, particularly popular in autumn when cardoons are harvested. This refined soup represents the Italian principle of cucina povera elevated to elegance, transforming humble seasonal vegetables into a dish worthy of formal dining tables.

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