Food & Wine
Cream of asparagus soup
Simple to make but very delicious, this cream of asparagus soup tastes incredible when served toasty warm with fresh croutons on a cold, winter’s night.
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 60g butter
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 leek, trimmed, washed and roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths
- 1 large desiree potato, peeled and roughly chopped
- 800ml fresh chicken stock
- 150ml pouring cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup finely diced day-old sourdough bread (or any kind of dense bread)
- 20ml olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 3 tablespoons finely grated good-quality Parmesan
Method:
- To being, preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy-based saucepan.
- Add the leek, garlic, salt and pepper and sweat over a low heat until the leek is soft.
- Add the asparagus and potato and cook over a medium heat for four minutes, so vegetables are lightly coated in butter mixture.
- Add the stock and simmer over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until the asparagus and potatoes are tender. Transfer the mixture to a blender and process until smooth.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan, add the cream and lemon juice, and heat until just warmed through. Remove from the heat and season to taste.
Written by Neil Perry. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.
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