Asparagus Soup
Description
A really delicious spring soup…I’m just super delayed in posting it! Borrowed from Karen Anderson’s book, ‘Eat Alberta First’, the potatoes make this wonderfully ‘creamy’, and the romaine is the secret ingredient that keeps the soup green! Karen also mentions that it freezes really well so that makes it an easy decision to whip up a double batch – enjoy!
Ingredients
1 t. EACH olive oil AND butter
1 large onion AND 4 stalks of celery, all cleaned and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced AND 1 t. kosher salt
4 c. + chicken or vegetable broth (I used half chicken broth, half bone broth)
2 medium-sized yellow fleshed potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bunch fresh asparagus (usually 1 to 1 1/2 lbs.), cleaned and chopped into 2-inch pieces (save a few tips for garnish)
1 small head of romaine lettuce, cleaned
more kosher salt and white pepper – both as needed, to taste
garnish ideas – chopped chives, green onion, red pepper flakes, asparagus tips, cream
Instructions
Heat up the oil and butter over medium heat in a large soup pot, add in the onion and celery and cook (and stir) for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the garlic and salt and cook for one more quick minute, then turn up the heat to medium high, pour in the broth and add the potatoes and bring all to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add in the asparagus and cook for about 5 minutes until it’s tender, then push in the romaine and cook for another quick couple of minutes until it’s all heated through.
Turn off the heat and leave the soup to cool enough until you’re comfortable transferring it to your blender, in batches, to puree. I put it all into a large bowl with a spout, so I could pour the pureed soup back into the pot. Taste for seasonings, I added about a teaspoon of white pepper but the salt levels were good! Reheat as needed and serve in pretty bowls garnished as you wish…though a swirl of cream and some red pepper flakes looks (and tastes) fantastic!
