Creamed artichoke and walnut soup with kale and kalamata olives

Served with red Thai chili spiced tomato ribbon and scallions, this soup combines enthusiastic flavours and colours.

Ingredients

4 cups vegetable stock
1t coarse sea salt, divided
1/4t black pepper
1t dried, rubbed thyme
1T lemon juice
2 cups artichoke hearts
4 scallions, minced (6″ of greens reserved for garnish)
2T fresh garlic, minced
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup and 1T nutritional yeast
4T kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1/4 cup passata (tomato puree)
1/4t red Thai chili paste (or to taste)
1 cup kale, finely chopped
2T tapioca flour whisked with 2T cold water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Soak the walnuts in warm water for 1 hour.
When ready to make the soup, preheat the oven to 400F.
Toss the kale with 1/4t of coarse sea salt.
Add the kale to a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until lightly browned (approximately 15 minutes). Ovens vary; use the colour and lightness of the kale as your guide.
Bring the stock to a light simmer in a pan with a lid.
Add 1/2t sea salt, lemon juice and black pepper
Add the artichoke hearts, scallions and garlic.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Remove the kale from the oven when ready.
Toss with 1T nutritional yeast and set aside.
When the soup has simmered 10 minutes, pull out the artichoke hearts with a spoon (and some stock is fine).
Drain the walnuts.
Using an immersion blender, puree with the artichoke hearts until smooth.
Add the pureed artichoke hearts and walnuts to the pan.
Puree soup together until smooth.
Return to a simmer on low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
While the soup simmers, mix the passata with the chili paste and 1/4t of coarse sea salt.
Whisk the tapioca flour and the cold water.
Stirring constantly, add the mixture slowly. to the soup until it thickens.
Add the 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and stir to combine.
Remove from heat.
Season to taste.
Ladle out the soup into bowls.
Sprinkle the soup with roasted kale.
Dribble the passata over the soup and the kale.
Sprinkle about 1/2T olives around the soup with 1/2T in the center.
Garnish with scallions and serve.