A fresh and simple asparagus soup with a base of broth, cream and onions, flavored with thyme and dry vermouth.
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
When spring comes and asparagus is in season, it’s hard to resist them, right? These green soldiers greet us as we enter the market’s produce section and urge us to put them to good use while we can!
We blanch the pretty asparagus tips separately so that we can add them to the pureed soup as a pretty garnish at the end. You can blanch the tops while the soup is cooking so there is no extra time.
We stir in cream (I like to use sour cream), but if you’re traveling light, you can skip it. Some cream stirred in at the end gives the soup a creamy texture.
What gives the soup that special something is the addition of some vermouth at the end. Sometimes it’s hard to find in the market, but if you have some, use them!
Creamy asparagus soup
Fancy more rich greens in the soup? In Step 5, stir in a handful of chopped baby spinach with the parsley.
Be sure to use whipped cream or full-fat sour cream, otherwise the soup may curdle. cook light? Skip the cream all together.
The vermouth really makes this soup shine. If you don’t have one, try adding 1/4 cup of white wine to the saucepan after you’ve sautéed the onions and garlic. Bring to a boil and reduce by half before adding the asparagus. Otherwise skip.
ingredients
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2 lb asparagustrimmed by woody stem bottoms
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1 big yellow onionchopped (1 1/2 to 2 cups)
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1 teaspoon chopped garlicor 1 tablespoon minced green garlic
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3 tablespoon butter
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4 cups chicken soup or vegetable broth (vegetarian variant)
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1 Cup water
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2 branches fresh thyme
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1 bay Sheet
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1/4 Cup chopped fresh parsley
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1/4 Cup heavy cream or full-fat sour cream
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1 tablespoon dry vermouth
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1 teaspoon lemon juice
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1/2 teaspoon black peppermore to taste
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1 teaspoon Salt, more to taste
method
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Trim and reserve asparagus tips, chop remaining asparagus into 1/4-inch rounds:
Cut off the tops of the asparagus 1 1/2 inches from the top and reserve. Cut the rest of the asparagus spears into 1/4-inch rounds.
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Sauté onions, garlic:
Melt the butter in a 4-5 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic (or green garlic) and cook a minute longer.
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Add asparagus:
Add the chopped asparagus (not the spear tips) to the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes.
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Add broth, water, sprigs of thyme, and bay leaf:
to the pot. Increase the heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer until asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes.
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At the end of cooking, stir in the chopped parsley.
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Blanch asparagus tips:
While the soup is cooking, blanch the asparagus tips in a small saucepan of boiling, salted water until the tips are just tender, about 2-4 minutes depending on the size of the asparagus.
drain. Rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Put aside.
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Puree soup:
Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Use either an immersion blender or stand mixer (work in batches) to puree the soup. If using a stand mixer, work in small batches, filling the mixing bowl no more than a third full at a time and holding the lid while blending.
For a creamy texture, if you like, press the pureed soup through a sieve or food grinder.
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Stir in cream, vermouth, lemon juice:
Stir in the cream (or full cream). Stir in the vermouth and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with asparagus tips.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 143 | calories |
| 10g | Fat |
| 10g | carbohydrates |
| 5g | protein |
