Olla-Podrida: asparagus soup recipe

Friday, April 29, 2016

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Do you know what I love about this time of the year? Asparagus. Well, there are other things, too, but I dearly love asparagus. When I had the garden space and could grow my own, I never did because I just didn't have the patience to wait three years for a decent crop. Thinking back, if I'd have had the patience to wait back then, I could have enjoyed decades of fresh asparagus by now. Let this be a lesson to you.

There are many ways to enjoy this vegetable, from simple roasting and sauteing, to prosciutto-wrapped, to amandine and piled on toast, but no way is more delicious than in this wonderful bowl of soup. Served cold, hot, or room temperature, it is fresh, complex, and exceedingly delicious. A bowl and crusty roll makes for a satisfying meal; served in ramekins, it is a lovely side to tea sandwiches or a spring greens salad. For a welcome addition to a brunch, fill shooter glasses and serve it as a part of your buffet.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

3 cups fresh asparagus, cut in into 1” pieces

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, diced fine

1/4 cup flour

3 cups half and half

1-1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 teaspoons L.B. Jamison chicken-flavored soup base

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Bring a 2-quart pot of water to a full boil over high heat. Drop in asparagus pieces, reduce heat slightly, and boil for 5 minutes; drain and reserve.

In the same pot, melt butter over medium high heat. Add onion and saute until translucent (2-4 minutes). Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add half and half, milk, and cream, stirring constantly with each addition. Add soup base, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a low boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer and gently add drained asparagus. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan, and simmer for an additional 1 minute.

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Silver Pennies Sunday

Monday, May 4, 2015

Fresh and Creamy Asparagus Soup with Tarragon

Do you love fresh asparagus season as much as I do? Seriously, I just cannot get enough of this stuff. I have had a multitude of asparagus grilled cheese sandwiches, plus have enjoyed it in quiche and in a calorie-laden creamy soup. I do love my asparagus soup, but oh, all of that cream! So, when I saw this recipe in the food section of a recent issue of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, I was intrigued. This soup, like leek and potato soup, gets its creaminess from potatoes rather than cream. Well, you know I had to try it, and am I ever glad that I did. It is decadently thick and tastes fresh, like spring! If you like asparagus as much as I do, I think you will love this soup.

Fresh and Creamy Asparagus Soup with Tarragon
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

1-½ pounds asparagus (about 1-½ bunches)

1-¾ cups low-sodium chicken* or vegetable broth

1-¾ cups water

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup thinly sliced yellow onion

1 small Yukon Gold potato (about 6 ounces),

peeled and thinly sliced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Ground black pepper

Chopped fresh tarragon, to serve

Croutons, to serve

Cut off the bottom woody ends of the asparagus, rinsing them if they are dirty and reserve them. Cut off the tips of the asparagus and set them aside. Chop the stems into 1-inch lengths.

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth and water to a boil. Add the asparagus tips and simmer until they are crisp tender, 1 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl. Set aside.

Add the reserved woody ends to the liquid, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a second medium saucepan over medium, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Pour the asparagus stock through a strainer into the saucepan with the onion, pressing on the asparagus ends to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the ends.

Add the potatoes and salt to the saucepan and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chopped asparagus stalks, then bring the stock to a boil and simmer until the stems are barely blanched, 1 minute for thin stalks, 2 minutes for medium stalks and 3 minutes for thick stalks.

Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and carefully blend until smooth, transferring the soup as it is pureed to the empty saucepan. (If you have an immersion blender, now is the time to use it.) Stir in reserved asparagus tips and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then continue cooking just until heated through. Divide between serving bowls and top each portion with tarragon and croutons.

Yield: 4 servings

*I used homemade chicken stock.