Electric green soup

Artichokes are one of my favorite things to eat. I had a soup similar to this one at the local coop, read the ingredients on the board, then went home and figured out how to make it. It's worth it to use a yellow bell pepper as it keeps the soup a pretty electric green color.

Artichoke and goat cheese soup

-2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed well

-1 leek, stem and very top removed, rinsed well

-1 yellow bell pepper

-1 medium yellow onion

-2 smallish gold potatoes

-2 tbsp. olive oil

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1/2 quart chicken or vegetable stock

-4 oz. goat cheese

-Salt and pepper

-Chives, roughly chopped, for garnish

Chop all vegetables into small pieces. Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat, then add garlic and brown. Add onions and leeks and sauté until tender. Add potatoes and bell pepper and sauté, lid on, for about 15 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and let cook for another 15-20 minutes, until all vegetables are very tender. Place vegetables in a food processor and with the motor running, add the stock in a steady stream until you have a smooth puree. Return soup to pot over a low heat and add salt and pepper to taste and goat cheese. Let goat cheese melt slowly into soup. Serve warm with chopped chives and a drizzle of olive oil over top.