Asparagus Soup

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It’s easy being green with this asparagus recipe. Chef Carolyn Johnson takes the king of spring produce and simmers it down for a flavorful (and colorful) meal. Asparagus makes its way to every part of the bowl, from the broth to the garnish, and the stalks join up with leek and potato for a creamy, seasonal soup.

Details

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 3 bunches of asparagus
For the stock: 
  • Stems from 3 bunches of asparagus
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 stalk of celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 quarts cold water
For the soup: 
  • 6 ounces of butter
  • 4 cups leeks, well-washed and thinly sliced
  • 5 cups asparagus stalks, sliced
  • 3 cups of Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced
  • 2 quarts of asparagus stock
  • salt and pepper
For the garnish: 
  • 24 asparagus tips
  • 4 ounces fresh goat cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chives, minced
 

Directions

  1. Wash the asparagus under running water. Snap off the bottom portions of the stem and set aside for the stock. Trim the tips from 24 pieces and set aside for the garnish. Reserve the remaining stalks for the soup.
For the stock:
  1. Put the asparagus stems, onion, celery stalk, bay leaf and cold water in a pot. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook at low heat for 45 minutes. Strain and set aside.
For the soup:
  1. Melt the butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and season them with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and cook until wilted.
  2. Add the asparagus and the Yukon potatoes. Season them with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
  3. Add the asparagus stock and bring the pot to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
  4. Remove the pot from the heat and puree the soup in a standard blender (food processor or handheld stick blender can also be used), working quickly to ensure that the soup stays a verdant green. Strain the soup through a mesh sieve. Serve or chill immediately.
For the garnish:
  1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and salt liberally. Blanch the asparagus tips for a minute (or less) and cool immediately in an ice bath or under cool running water.
To serve:
  1. Divide the hot soup into bowls. Top each serving with 3 asparagus tips, crumbled goat cheese and chives.

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