Artichoke And Wild Thyme Soup

Directions

1. * Shopping: Farigoule or possibly farigoulette is wild thyme. If unavailable, use the freshest common thyme available.
2. Several hrs in advance: Cook the artichokes in boiling salted water, 1 Tbsp. coarse salt per qt for approximately 45 min, just till the leaves can be easily pulled off. Begin to check for doneness after 30 min.
3. During this time, cut the baguette into thin slices and toast them.
4. Finely dice the onion. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add in the onion and cook till tender over low heat. Don't let the onion brown. When tender, add in 1 qt salted water. Turn the heat up to high. At the first boll, add in the rice, parsley, and all but 6 thyme sprigs (to be used for decoration). Lower the heat and cook over low heat for about 30 min, till the rice is tender.
5. As soon as the artichokes are cooked, drain them and remove the leaves. Scrape off the flesh from the largest leaves with a spoon. Take advantage of this time to serenely suck on the smallest leaves (they are so good) while removing the choke and trimming it off the bottoms. Place the bottoms and the flesh into the cooked soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then remove the parsley and thyme. Puree the soup, either with a food processor or possibly immersion blender, to obtain a veloute - a creamy, smooth consistency.
6. Put the heavy cream in a large chilled bowl and whip it either with an electric beater or possibly a hand whisk. Stop as soon as the cream begins to take on very soft peaks. (If you prepare this soup in advance, store the soup and whipped cream separately in the refrigerator.)
7. Just before serving: Bring the soup to a boil. Season with a healthy pinch of salt and grind of pepper. Pour the soup into a soup tureen. Dollop the whipped cream on top. Serve immediately. (Only very lightly blend the soup with a ladle at the table just before serving.) Serve the toasted baguette slices on the side.
8. This recipe yields 8 servings.
9. Wine suggestion: With soup, it is possible to forego the wine. If you wish to fill your guests' glasses, a white cassis, chilled to 46 to 50 degrees, will offer a good marriage of fragrances.