Sunday, May 31, 2009

A Raisin Chronicles First: Asparagus Soup Recipe

There are two things you should know about me:
1) I seldom cook
2) I hate seeing food go to waste
The two were bound to collide eventually.

On Memorial Day, I discovered some asparagus in the crisper drawer. There was too much to simply steam and serve and it didn't look like it would make it to the weekend. Then I remembered seeing a recipe that used asparagus in my recipe box. It was a gamble (past-its-prime produce combined with an untested recipe) but did it ever pay off. The soup was incredible. I'm starting to drool just remembering.

I emailed the recipe to the Raisinette (aka my daugher), who's vegetarian. Later, when I was over visiting Rachel, also a veggie, I offered it to her and she said, "Why don't you just post it?"

I started to explain that I have a reputation to protect as a non-cooking person, but I knew she would not be impressed.




Asparagus Soup


Serves 6

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 cups chopped onions
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
6 cups defatted chicken broth (veggie broth works just as well)
3 pounds fresh asparagus
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Tablespoon dried tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
½ cup sour cream for garnish (optional)
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and diced, for garnish

 Melt the butter in the oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add the broth and heat to boiling.
 Trim woody ends off the asparagus. Reserving the tips, cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces, add to broth. Add the carrots, parsley, tarragon, salt, pepper and tarragon to broth. Simmer, partially covered, about 40-50 minutes.
 Puree in batches in a blender or a food processor, then strain soup back into the pot.
 Add asparagus tips and simmer over medium-low heat until tips are tender and soup is hot, about 10 minutes.
 Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of diced tomatoes.

Per serving (w/o sour cream)
184 calories
23g carbohydrates
10g protein
7g fat
10mg cholesterol

8 comments:

  1. I happen to love soup. It's been a good way to keep the lbs. from creeping up. Sounds like a good recipe. I'll give it a try. I bet you would be a very good cooking person, btw.

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  2. I first made it a couple of years ago... It was good, but I added sausage to it for some substance.. Around here we eat asparagus all spring, while the home grown stuff is for sale...

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  3. sly fox - posting food- you knew it would lure me out of the shadows...

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  4. HA, HA, Jeanne, watch out, you might become French if you start cooking!
    The soup looks miammy. Can't wait to try it out.

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  5. I suppose I will wait a week to post mine now! A friend gave me a bundle of them out of her garden, I was so excited to learn it was her third year, and we had some roasted; which made me think of soup!

    Yours looks great, and I bet you are great in the kitchen, even if it is to collide with a good piece of writing!

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  6. in my book you deserve a pulitzer for cooking. Well done darling. I've lost another one to the "other side"

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  7. That looks good. Asparagus is cheap right now and that appeals to me. I think I might try that.

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  8. I think the fact that you "don't" cook adds credibility to your recipe - even you made it so it must work nicely ;)

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