At one point I worked at a restaurant in West LA called Cafe 50s, one of my favorite soups on rotation was an asparagus soup, it was the first time I had tasted a soup like that. Up until then asparagus was an occasional side dish that went basically with fish. That soup opened up a world of possibilities for me from fritatas to scrambles and stir frys, delicious. A year or so after I left there I started searching for a recipe that could hold a candle to the deliciousness they serve there. It took a while but this recipe comes really really close, it’s really simple and truly delicious which makes it a good option for a quick spring dinner when asparagus is plentiful and at it’s most tasty.
I’ve seen a few recipes that recommend adding an egg to the hot soup to make this a more complete meal by adding extra protein, I’ve tried it, and it’s delicious, but I just love the plain soup on it’s own with a slice of buttered toast.
Enjoy!
Sabrina – TKW
Creamy Asparagus & Leek Soup
Ingredients
- 3-5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 4 lg Leeks, White and Pale Green Parts Only, Washed Thoroughly and Chopped
- 1/2 med White Onion, Chopped Fine
- 6-8 Cloves Garlic, Chopped Fine
- 2 Pounds Asparagus, Cut into 1/2 Inch Pieces, Reserve The Tips To Garnish With (Snap Off Woody Ends First and Discard)
- 4 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- 1/2 Pint Heavy Cream
- Salt and Pepper To Taste
- Crumbled Feta Cheese to Garnish
Instructions
- In a heavy four-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks, onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are very soft, about 10 minutes. You don't want the leeks to color, so turn down the heat if they start to brown.
- Add the asparagus to the pan, add a bi more salt, then pour in the stock or water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook until the asparagus is very soft, 20-30 minutes, depending on it's thickness
- Let the soup cool slightly, then puree it until very smooth, I use an immersion blender, if you don't have one, blend it in small batches in your blender and be very careful.
- Return the soup to the pan and stir in the cream or creme fraiche. Tasts and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Blanche the asparagus tops in salted water until they are bright green
- Garnish with croutons, some crumbled goat cheese, and the blanched asparagus tops