Springtime soups often show off the assortment of greens that have just arrived at the farmers market. Sweet peas, asparagus, ramps and Chinese peas are just a few of the myriad greens I love to cook as the weather warms up. Sometimes I like to combine unlikely but complementary flavors together. The simple white bean often needs some “oomph” to bring out its flavor. Combining white beans and artichoke hearts turns out to be an inspired combination. The artichoke hearts add just a hint of the artichokes’ distinguishing taste. And even though they’re frozen, the artichokes provide the unique flavor in this soup. If you like a smooth soup, straining the soup creates a silken texture. Sometimes I will use my powerful Vitamix blender if I want to skip the straining step, since it creates a silky, frothy texture. Using frozen artichoke hearts cuts down an enormous amount of preparation time without …