Summer Asparagus Soup
This bright and summery asparagus soup takes advantage of seasonal ingredients and is naturally rich and creamy without actually using heavy cream. Makes 4-6 servings to enjoy hot or cold!
Ingredients:
2 bunches asparagus (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely diced (¼ inch)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
6 cups chicken broth (Better Than Bouillion works great)
1 medium potato, cubed (½ inch)
1 bay leaf
Freshly squeezed juice from one lemon (~2 tablespoons)
½ cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Finely ground sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Optional:
1 wedge cured lemon (omit additional salt if using)
1 piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (~2 inches)
Finishing vinegar
Instructions:
Trim the woody ends from asparagus and discard. Cut the tips off and separate. Chop the remaining stems into 1 inch pieces.
Heat olive oil in a medium stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook about 5 minutes, until translucent, ensuring to not brown the onions. Stir in garlic and cook for about a minute more, until fragrant.
Add the chicken broth, 1 inch asparagus stems, cubed potato, cured lemon wedge (if using), and bay leaf to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the asparagus is very tender.
While the soup cooks, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil then blanch the asparagus tips for 1 minute. Remove tips with a slotted spoon and immediately place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process, maintaining the snap and bright green color. Once the tips have cooled, drain and set aside.
Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf and optional rind, then purée the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Ninja makes one with a guard that won’t scratch your non-stick cookware. You can also purée the soup in batches in a standard blender, then return the soup to the pot. Bring the soup back to a simmer and stir in the lemon juice and shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano before serving.
Ladle the soup into bowls, then top with asparagus tips, additional shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a dash of your favorite vinegar.
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