MENU

Special Diet Information

Coumadin® (Warfarin)
This recipe is NOT safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users.

Lactose
Avoid this recipe if you are lactose intolerant.

Sodium
This is a low sodium recipe.

GERD / Acid Reflux
This recipe contains GERD triggers and those with GERD may wish to avoid it.

Gluten Sensitivity
This recipe is safe for those who are sensitive to gluten.

 

(on asparagus) "Europeans of the Renaissance swore by it as an aphrodisiac, and the church banned it from nunneries." -Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

The refrigerator light goes on...

The key to good asparagus soup is to cook the veggies gently. I suppose that this is true of making almost any cream soup: you want to have the vegetables cooked enough to be soft but not so much that you lose all the flavor. Blanching the asparagus and refreshing is a good way to accomplish this.

For thicker asparagus I prefer to also use my potato peeler and gently peel the skin at the base of the asparagus. That's where it's toughest, especially with the older asparagus.

The instructions for this soup will leave it with some fibrous bits no matter how long you puree it. If you want restaurant quality soup that is creamy with a perfectly smooth texture it is worth the extra step of pressing it through a fine mesh sieve.

 

 

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Servings: 2 | Serving size: about 2 cups as a main course

Cooking Time: 45 Minutes

This recipe can be multiplied by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

This recipe makes great leftovers. Reheat gently. Note that this serves 2 as an entree and 4 as an appetizer or side dish.

1 lb fresh asparagus
3 quarts water
2 tsp olive oil
1 large white onion (diced)
1/8 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 cup 2% milk

Cream of Asparagus Soup, a recipe from Dr. Gourmet
Place the water in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

When the water is at a shiver, add the asparagus spears and blanch for 8-10 minutes.

While the asparagus is blanching, fill a large bowl with ice water.

When the asparagus is done, place immediately into ice water and chill for 10 minutes.

While the asparagus is chilling, place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the onion and tarragon and cook slowly for about 10 minutes, adjusting the heat so that the onions become soft and translucent but do not brown.

Cut the chilled asparagus into 1 inch chunks (reserving a few asparagus tips for garnish, if desired), then place the asparagus, salt, water, honey, milk and cooked onions into a blender.

Puree until very smooth.

Reheat gently and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: about 2 cups as a main course

Servings: 2

Amount Per Serving

Calories 192 Calories from Fat 56
% Daily Value
Total Fat 6g 9%
    Saturated Fat 2g 5%
    Monounsaturated Fat 3g
    Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 339mg 14%
Total Carbohydrates 29g 8%
    Dietary Fiber 8g 28%
    Sugars 15g
Protein 9g
Vitamin A 32% Vitamin C 43%
Calcium 23% Iron 24%
Vitamin K 98 mcg Potassium 822 mg
Magnesium 59 mg