Cream Of Asparagus Soup Recipe

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This is a great recipe to make because you are essentially utilizing things most people toss out to make the soup. 

I make this asparagus soup recipe once a year at the end of Summer when asparagus go out of season. Whenever I make asparagus during the season I put the woody ends of the spears in a bag and put it in the freezer. Once the season ends I usually have between 8 and 10 bunches of ends. 

When I make broccoli I put the thick stalks in the freezer, as well. When I make the soup I usually have a half dozen or so broccoli stems to add to the soup.

My chicken stock comes from the bones of the chickens that I usually roasted. 

The creme fraiche came from the cream and some buttermilk I had left.

So, my cost for this recipe is a couple stalks of celery, 2 lemons, a couple cloves of garlic, an onion, and some cream. That comes to about 4.00 dollars for 16 servings of soup or about a quarter a bowl, not bad. If I were serving this in a restaurant with a sale price of 9.00 per bowl, I'd be dancing in the streets.

Not only is this soup economical to make, it has a great flavor. The bitter, earthy flavor of the asparagus are tempered by the sweetness of the onions and the lemon imparts a really nice citrus flavor. So much so you could call it lemon asparagus soup.

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Asparagus Cream Soup

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Ingredients for asparagus soup: onions, celery, garlic, and broccoli stems.

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Frozen asparagus spear ends, in a bowl, about 9 bunches worth of asparagus ends.

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Pureeing the soup. Remember that when you puree hot liquids, remove the blender pour hole cover and place a heavy folded kitchen towel over the lid. Keep firm pressure on the lid while pureeing.

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The fibrous pulp leftover after straining.

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Asparagus soup puree.

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A Zesty Cream Of Asparagus Soup Recipe For Fall

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• yield: 16 servings
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 to 3 hours

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Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil, to coat plus extra
• 2 ribs celery, rough chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 onions, rough chopped
• Leftover broccoli stalks, about 5, cut into 1-inch / 2-1/2 centimeter pieces
• Leftover ends of asparagus from 9 bunches, about 3 pounds / 1.4 kilograms
• Chicken stock to cover, about 2 to 3 quarts, substitute veg stock
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup creme fraiche

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Method

1. Add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of an 8-quart stock pot. Add the celery, garlic and onion and sweat over a medium flame, until the onion is translucent.
2. Add the broccoli stems and the asparagus ends. Increase the heat to high and add enough chicken stock, or vegetable stock, to almost cover. You want about an inch or 2 to 3 centimeters of vegetables protruding from the top level of the stock. Add the lemon juice.
3. Bring the stock to a full boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow to simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, about 2 to 3 hours.
4. When the vegetables are done, working in small batches, puree the vegetables and the liquid. Transfer the puree to a medium mesh strainer set over a 6-quart stockpot. Using a tablespoon push the contents through the strainer. Continue working in batches until all of the soup is pureed.
5. Toss the woody fibers in the trash and rinse the strainer, and blender bowl. Add about 2 cups / 450 milliliters of the soup back into the blender and add half the cream. Blend on high and for about 15 to 20 seconds and pass through the strainer and back into the soup. Repeat this step for the remaining cream.
6. One more time, rinse the strainer and pass the soup through once more. Return to a clean 6 quart pot and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook to desired consistency.
7. To serve the soup ladle into bowls and top each bowl with a tablespoon of creme fraiche and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

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Notes

1. The stem ends of the asparagus spears are very fibrous and woody, and to a lesser degree so are the broccoli stems. When you strain the puree you are going to have a lot of fibrous pulp left over, this is normal. You could opt to not strain the puree at all, but it has a very fibrous and unpleasant mouth-feel.
2. You can make creme fraiche at home. For 2 cups / 475 milliliters heavy cream add 1 tablespoon / 15 milliliters buttermilk. Heat to 85° F / 30° C. Remove from heat and let stand at a temperature between 60 and 85 degrees F / 15 and 30 degrees C, until thickened. Stir and refrigerate.
3. What's the difference between sour cream and creme fraiche? Sour cream, commercial sour cream, has thickeners and stabilizers that creme fraiche doesn't.
4. Another method, and by far the simplest and easiest, to make thickened cream is to add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 2 cups heavy cream. Stir and let stand on the counter until thickened, about 20 to 30 minutes, refrigerate.

Tags: cream of asparagus soup recipe, asparagus soup recipe, asparagus cream soup, lemon asparagus soup

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