Those of you who follow me on IG know that in general, when it comes to food, I try to keep meals and snacks as clean and healthy as possible. Lately, though, I've been making an extra effort to reduce the amount of meat, chicken and even fish that we consume. The funny part is that between my girls' dietary restrictions due to food allergies and the fact that neither of them really like the texture of chicken or fish, coming up with meatless dishes for the all of us isn't as hard I originally thought. Sidenote: My husband has not co-signed on any of this *ha, ha* but he's always super supportive and will eat whatever I make and then go make a sandwich when he's done.
Here's the thing, I love veggies. I also love soup. I've always felt that soup was a great way to feel satisfied and take the guesswork out of deciding what to eat. I was at Whole Foods last week when I tried their asparagus soup and I was hooked so, I decided to go home and find a recipe. Some of you who saw my stories earlier this week know that I tried making this soup and it came out really well! I was so proud of myself because I have never actually made soup from scratch before. This was definitely an experiment but I'm so happy that I did it because it's encouraged me to do it more often. With Spring and Summer (allegedly) on its way, soup paired with a salad or some roasted veggies and a nice glass of Cava or Rose is a perfect, light & filling meal.
I ended up combining different aspects of a few recipes that I found online which, was a total gamble, but living on the edge definitely worked out. For those of you who were interested, here it is:
YIELD: Makes about 4-6 servings
PREP TIME: 20 min
TOTAL
TIME: 50 min
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds (about 2 bunches) green asparagus
2 large onions, chopped
3 tablespoons butter (preferably unsalted)
5 to 6 cups chicken broth (preferably organic, low sodium)
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
PREP
Cut the tips from the asparagus about 1 1/2 inches from top and reserve for garnish.
Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.
COOK
Cook the chopped onions in 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy pot over low heat and stir until they've softened and become translucent.
Add the asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then let it cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
Add the 5 to 6 cups of broth (I used 5 for a slightly thicker consistency) and let it simmer, covered for about 15-20 minutes on low heat, until the asparagus is soft and tender.
While the soup simmers, cook the asparagus tips in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, until they're almost tender, then drain them.
Once the soup is done, purée it in batches in a blender until it's smooth, then transfer it to a bowl and when it's all done, return the soup to the original pot.
Stir in the the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper (to taste). Bring the soup back to a boil and stir in the remaining butter. Quick Note: Adding the heavy cream is totally optional. I added it because I wanted a slightly more condensed, creamier texture, but it's totally up to you.
Add the lemon juice and grated parmesan cheese and then garnish with the asparagus tips.
NOTE: This soup can keep covered and refrigerated for about 2 days.
If any of you guys decide to try this soup, please let me know. I'd love to hear how it turned out and what you decided to serve with it.
xo,
K
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