Asparagus Soup
- 1 bunch asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup chicken/vegetable stock
- Sea salt and freshly cracked white pepper to taste
***This recipe was inspired by Yongfook's asparagus soup.
Slice asparagus thinly and reserve several tips for garnishing.
Bring
a pot of salted water (about 5 cups) to a boil and throw in asparagus.
Cook for about 4 minutes or until asparagus is bright green and just
cooked through. Drain asparagus and dunk into ice water bath, then
drain again. Save the water that the asparagus was cooking in!
Heat
the olive oil and butter in another pot and sauté onion until fragrant.
Add the chicken stock and a couple cups of the asparagus water and
bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and add asparagus to the pot. Use a
hand blender to puree the soup. You can gradually add more asparagus
water to adjust the consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
For garnishing, halve the asparagus tips lengthwise and drizzle with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill and top the soup for a nice crunchy texture and smoky flavor. To serve it hot, bring soup to a simmer right before serving and ladle into a bowl. I ate it hot, but I think it would taste just as good chilled.