Simply Asparagus Soup


There's not much to this soup except some good ingredients to start with.

At first glance, you might think this is boring, no curb appeal.
A bowl of light green liquid, nothing special.

However, when you take a sip, it is anything BUT boring.
It is wonderful and tastes like spring.

I only made a small batch, but next time will double it for sure, because it was that good.

Just a few rules or don't bother (sorry to be so bossy).

I used fresh picked asparagus from my garden, but I don't expect you to have that.
But only use asparagus in season, right now, spring, May, June, today, tomorrow, next week.

Jersey asparagus (& Long Island) is plentiful at the farmer's markets right now, (and if you live in California, I am jealous of you and your yearly bounty of EVERYTHING).
Local, fresh asparagus tastes nothing like the stuff you get from Peru in the dead of winter, sitting in the supermarket for a week.
Trust me.

Rule #2.
Please use homemade chicken stock (I said please).
My butcher even sells it. The Chinese restaurant sells it. It's so easy to make.

Boxed stock is usually great in soups, but since there are only 3 main ingredients here (stock and asparagus being 2 of them), using the best is important.

Feel free to double the amounts, since this recipe only makes 4 bowls.

I did not add any salt to this soup, since my stock had been previously salted before freezing it.

Simple Spring Asparagus Soup:

1 lb. fresh asparagus stalks (save the tips for garnish)
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cups of homemade chicken stock
1 tbsp creme fraiche
salt & pepper (if needed)

Slice the asparagus stalks into 2" pieces, (saving the tips for garnish and other things).

Heat some olive oil or butter in a large stock pot and add the onions and asparagus pieces and cook on low heat for a few minutes until the onions are soft. You don't want to brown the onions.

Add in the stock and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the asparagus is tender.

While the soup is simmering, blanch the asparagus tips in boiling water for 2 minutes, to make them bright green.
(You can also do this in a microwave dish with water for the same amount of time).

When the soup is cool enough to handle, place an immersion blender in the pot and blend until all the solids are pureed.


Taste the soup and see if it needs salt.

Ladle into bowls and swirl in a tiny amount of creme fraiche just before serving.
Garnish with the remaining blanched asparagus tips.


Enjoy!

Comments

Stacey...

I'm sure it was delicious. The soup looks very creamy in your last photo.
The soups looks creamy and delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Ciao Chow Linda said…
Oh what a luxury to have freshly picked asparagus for this luscious soup. yum.
Anonymous said…
super yummy! Thanks Stacey.
Simplicity can be its own reward, and this recipe certainly speaks to that. My friend Sooze made this for me when I had a tooth pulled and I ate it at room temp. due to palate sensitivity. I swear that soup kept me alive for a week. ;-) Look forward to eating it warmed up in the future.
redpenguins said…
I have a question for you... I'm pretty much a broke college student and I don't have an immersion blender... Do you think this would come out the same in a regular blender?