“Only the pure of heart can make good soup.” – Ludwig van Beethoven
“The sweetest, juiciest part of an asparagus is in its stalk; the thicker the stalk the more of that sweet, pale green flesh there is.” says Marcella Hazan in her book, Ingredients.
How to buy asparagus:
- Purchase thin asparagus for pasta sauces, such as an asparagus, cream and prosciutto sauce, frittatas or risotto. For this use, discard half of the stalk.
- Purchase thick asparagus for use on its own, such as roasted asparagus or steamed asparagus. Be sure to peel the stalks!
How to store asparagus:
- In a jar large enough to hold the bunch of asparagus, place a crumbled piece of paper towel in it, pour in enough water to cover it by 1″, place the asparagus in it and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- It will keep for up to a week this way.
How to prepare asparagus:
- Before peeling, slice off the bottom of the thick stalk.
- If the bottom of the stalk is dry, cut off 1″ more from the bottom of the stalk.
- Using a swivel blade vegetable peeler, carefully hold the top of a piece of asparagus, remove the top layer of the dark skin, rotating the stalk of asparagus until the entire stalk’s pale core is exposed.
- Repeat with the remaining stalks of asparagus.
As Ludwig van Beethoven said, “Only the pure of heart can make good soup.” . . . make some Cream of Asparagus Soup and show your pure heart!
Cream of Asparagus Soup
Delicious asparagus soup, homemade chicken stock is the secret ingredient!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Asparagus, peeled; tips reserved and blanched for about a minute in boiling salted water
- 2 T. Butter
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 1/2 quarts Homemade chicken stock
- 1/2 Cup Heavy cream
- 1 T. Lemon juice
- 1 tsp. Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings: blanched asparagus tips and creme fraiche.
Instructions
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In a saucepan set over medium heat, add the butter, when it sizzles, add the onion, saute without browning.
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Add the chicken stock.
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Once the chicken stock is simmering, add the asparagus.
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Simmer until the asparagus is tender (if it cooks too long the asparagus will change color).
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Add the cream, bring to a simmer without boiling.
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Puree the soup with a hand held immersion blender.
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Season to taste with salt and pepper, add lemon juice.
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Serve with blanched asparagus tips and creme fraiche.
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