I could eat asparagus every day in Spring and never tire of it, in fact we probably eat it at least twice a week when it is in season usually done very simply by roasting or grilling with olive oil and salt.
Roasting concentrates the sweetness in asparagus which really comes across in this soup recipe. Rather than using cream, potatoes are used to give it a thick and hearty feel with cheese added at the end.
Roasted Asparagus Soup
(4 servings)
1. Preheat oven to 450F. Trim the woody ends off the asparagus. Chop into small coins, reserving the ends whole. Toss with a teaspoon of the olive oil and a healthy pinch of salt and place on a cookie sheet. When the oven is heated, place the asparagus in. Roast for 8-14 minutes, remove and reserve.
2. While the asparagus is roasting, heat a large saucepan to medium low heat. Add the olive oil. Dice the onion and add to the pot along with a pinch of salt, stir until soft.
3. Wash and dice the potatoes, add to the pot along with 4 cups of water (or stock if you prefer) and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer.
4. Pick the asparagus tips off of the asparagus and reserve. Add the remaining asparagus to the simmering soup. Simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
5. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until nice and pureed. Stir in the parmesan cheese.
6. Season to taste. Return the asparagus tips to the soup and heat through. Serve hot.
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