Now that fresh asparagus is available year round, you can make this soup often. Frozen works well too.
Easy And Delicious
There’s nothing better than homemade soup. It’s the quintessential comfort food.
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Asparagus has also become very popular lately. I remember the times where this delicious veggie was only available in the spring. However, now it seems we can get this year round and at great prices too. As with any recipe, fresh is always best and that applies to this soup as well. Frozen asparagus will work just as well here too. Just don’t be tempted to use the canned variety. The soup won’t taste the same and won’t even taste good. Asparagus is one vegetable that really suffers a horrible death when canned!
Hot Or Cold
This asparagus soup is what I call an “all-season” soup.
It’s delicious hot and it’s also very good cold. So now we can get this glorious veg in the winter, this soup becomes a hot bowl of comfort. In the summer months, it is refreshingly cool. The preparation is short so it won’t heat the kitchen either.
This soup is really the very best of both worlds!
Vegetarian? No Problem
The base of this soup is chicken stock, but if that’s a no-no because you don’t eat meat, it’ll taste fine made with vegetable stock.
A couple of ingredients are dairy, so if you use those in your diet, you’ll be fine.
Vegans have choices here too. For instance, this tastes absolutely scrummy without the cream. However, to get that bit of creaminess that the heavy cream imparts, I’m sure there’s a vegan substitute for it. Unfortunately I can’t suggest one but I’m sure that anyone who follows a vegan diet will be able to substitute the right ingredient. As for the butter, there is vegan butter and that tastes pretty good. I tried it on the suggestion of a vegan friend (and blogger) a few years ago.
The Recipe
- 16 oz (1 lb) fresh or frozen asparagus
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 12 oz potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4 tbs unsalted butter
- 32 oz chicken or vegetable stock
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Break off the woody ends of the asparagus (if using fresh). Slice off the tops--these will be used as a garnish. Cut the asparagus stalks into ½-inch slices. Set the chopped asparagus aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium dutch oven over medium heat. Add the potatoes and the onion. Stir to coat with the butter and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onion is softened.
- Add the stock and the sliced asparagus stalks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
- Using a stick (immersion) blender, puree the soup. If you don't have a sick blender, use a regular blender or food processor. If the asparagus is not young and tender, you may have to put the soup through a sieve to eliminate any woody parts that remain.
- Add the cream and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- For the garnish, blanch the asparagus tops in boiling water for 3 minutes.
*Adapted from Mary Berry Yum
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