Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Asparagus soup is my favorite thing



When I see beautiful bunches of asparagus in the grocery store I always end up snatching them up solely because I know that I can make 100 different things with them. Last year I was obsessed with shaved asparagus salad with pancetta and a poached egg. Now I can't stop making this soup. My roommate, Katie, said it's the best soup she's ever had. And it's ridiculously easy and insanely flavorful. I think I have made this soup at least five times in the last couple of months. Total crowd pleaser ;)




Cream of Asparagus Soup
2 or 3 bunches of asparagus
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp dill, chopped (optional)
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp tarragon
3 tbsp flour
2 cups water
2 cups hot milk (I use non-fat)
white pepper, to taste

Break off and discard the tough asparagus bottoms and chop the rest into 1 inch pieces. Reserve the tips for garnish.
Melt the butter in a medium sized skillet. Add onion, asparagus stalks, and salt. Saute for about 10 minutes. When the onions are clear and soft, add the flour, stirring constantly. Cook another 8-10 minutes over the lowest possible heat, stirring frequently.
Add water, stirring constantly. Heat to a boil then turn down to simmer. Simultaneously heat up the milk in a separate saucepan, but don't bring to a boil. When milk is hot, add it to the soup, along with the tarragon and dill (if using). Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup.
Steam the asparagus tips until just tender. Add to the blended soup. Add white pepper and more salt to taste. Serve immediately.

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