Michigan Asparagus Soup Recipes

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Microwave onion and butter on HIGH for 2 minutes. Add asparagus, vegetable broth, garlic powder and white pepper. Microwave, covered, on HIGH for 10 to 12 minutes. Puree in blender.
• Return mixture to microwave safe dish, stir in milk and microwave until heated through.

ALMOST RAW ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH YOGURT AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Toss the asparagus and oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast the asparagus until lightly roasted but still crunchy, about 5 minutes. Cool the asparagus slightly.
• Combine 1 cup water, the asparagus, broth and lemon juice in a blender and puree until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer the soup to a medium heavy saucepan and heat the soup. Stir in the mint and lemon zest and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Divide the soup among bowls and garnish with the Greek yogurt and almonds.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the soup: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, bring the oil to medium heat. Add the shallot and salt and pepper to taste. Sweat until translucent, about 1 minute, being careful not to brown. Add the asparagus to the pot and sweat until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the peas and sweat another minute. Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pot. Add 5 cups water and continue simmering until crisp-tender, another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Working in batches (and carefully as the liquid will be hot), puree the soup until smooth in a blender. In the last batch, add the baby spinach and puree; this will give the soup a vibrant green color. Strain back into the pot through a fine mesh sieve. Return to a simmer until slightly thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
• For the Parmesan breadcrumbs: While the soup simmers, pulse the bread in a food processor until you have very coarse crumbs. Once processed, transfer the breadcrumbs to a medium mixing bowl. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil. Toss with the thyme. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet tray. Using a grater, finely grate a few tablespoons of Parmesan over the breadcrumbs. Place into the oven and bake until golden and crispy, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
• To serve: Ladle the soup into shallow serving bowls. Sprinkle evenly with a few teaspoons of Parmesan breadcrumbs and top with a dollop of creme fraiche. Garnish with chopped chives, cilantro leaves, a squeeze of a lime wedge and a splash of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Add the butter to a large saucepan over medium heat to melt. Once foaming and melted, add the shallots and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, cook until fragrant, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in the flour and cook until blonde and pasty. Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Add the asparagus and simmer until it's nice and tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half. Remove from the heat and use a stick blender to puree the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

CHEF JOHN'S CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add minced onion and salt; cook and stir until onion is soft and golden, about 10 minutes.
• Pour chicken broth and water into pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Place asparagus pieces in simmering broth. Cook, stirring occasionally until asparagus is just tender and still bright green, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• For a finer texture, strain soup through mesh strainer. Return strained soup to pot and place on stove.
• Turn heat to low. Season with cayenne pepper, black pepper, and nutmeg. Adjust salt to taste. Whisk 1/2 cup cream into soup.
• Place 1/4 cup cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Whisk until frothy and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
• Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle a spoonful of Parmigiano-Reggiano-lemon cream on top of each serving and swirl to form a random design.
• Sprinkle with a pinch of lemon zest and cayenne pepper, if desired.

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; season with 2 teaspoons salt. Add asparagus tips and blanch until bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath with a slotted spoon; reserve for topping. Add trimmings, 1/2 shallot and 1/2 clove garlic to the same pot and return to a boil; reduce heat and simmer the asparagus stock 20 to 25 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
• In another saucepan, heat olive oil over medium. Add sliced shallot and chopped garlic and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in potato and enough of the asparagus stock to cover the vegetables (about 1 cup), and simmer until the potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Strain remaining asparagus stock directly into saucepan with the potatoes. Add remaining asparagus and cook until tender and bright green, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Puree in a blender until completely smooth; remove 1 cup and reserve. Slowly stir in cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper; thin with reserved liquid as needed. Serve hot or chilled, topped with asparagus tips and a drizzle of oil.

GARLIC ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Cook and stir garlic and green onions in saucepan until garlic is just golden, about 3 minutes.
• Cook and stir asparagus with garlic and green onions until slightly softened, about 2 more minutes.
• Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Pour soup into blender, filling no more than halfway full. Cover with a lid. Carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth.
• Transfer soup back to saucepan and reheat. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add shallot, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are tender and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add chopped asparagus, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; continue cooking until asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare and ice-water bath. Fill a medium saucepot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt, return to a boil, and add asparagus tips. Cook until just tender. Transfer asparagus tips to ice-water bath; let cool about 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
• Remove from heat; add spinach. Using an immersion blender, puree soup while drizzling in remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Return to heat and cook until heated through; season with salt. Divide soup evenly between 4 bowls, garnish with asparagus tips, and serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH PARMIGIANO ZABAGLIONE

Steps:

• For the soup, set a large saucepot over a high flame and heat up the olive oil. Add the onions, stir briefly, and lower the heat to medium. Add a pinch of salt to draw moisture out of the onions. Cook the onions until they are soft and translucent but without any browning, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes, bay leaf and chicken stock. Raise the flame to high to bring the stock to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Taste the stock and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the asparagus and thyme. Return the stock to a simmer. Cook until the asparagus is barely tender.
• Remove the bay leaf. Working quickly, ladle some of the soup into a blender with the spinach and vitamin C. Process until the soup is smooth and homogenous. To cool quickly, remove to a large bowl set inside a larger bowl filled with ice water or a sink partially filled with ice water. Add the cream and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper. Stir often until the soup is no longer steaming. (The soup can be made to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month.)
• To make the zabaglione, bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in a large saucepan. In a large non-reactive bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and wine. Season with salt and pepper. Set the bowl inside the saucepan but not touching the water, and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened to point where the whisk can leave a clean trail on the bottom of the bowl, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat. Whisk vigorously for 1 minute to cool to room temperature and gradually whisk in the cheese. Season the mixture with pepper, to taste. (The zabaglione can be made to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.) Add 1/3 of the whipped cream. Whisk until smooth and then fold in the remaining whipped cream, being careful keep the mixture light and airy.
• To serve, in a large saucepot, warm the soup over medium heat. Ladle into espresso cups. Spoon the zabaglione over each serving (about 1 teaspoon for each espresso cup of soup). Serve warm or at room temperature.

ASPARAGUS MAIN COURSE SOUP

Steps:

• In a saucepan heat the butter. Add the scallions, cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until soft. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil. Add the asparagus and simmer 5 minutes or until just tender. Add the peas and simmer 1 minute to heat through. Add the tofu or chicken, lettuce leaves and tarragon and simmer another couple of minutes or just until the romaine lettuce is wilted. Season well to taste with salt and pepper.

HERBED ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute onions and garlic in butter. Add the broth, asparagus, salt, thyme, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Drain asparagus, reserving cooking liquid. Discard bay leaf. Cool slightly., In a food processor, combine asparagus and 1/2 cup cooking liquid; cover and process until smooth. Return pureed asparagus and remaining cooking liquid to pan. , Combine the flour and water until smooth; stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Garnish each serving with sour cream and lemon zest.

CREAMY ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add leeks and shallot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and 3 cups broth; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until asparagus is very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Working in batches (don't fill it more than halfway), purée asparagus in a blender until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes a batch, thinning with more broth if necessary. Transfer to cleaned pan, and heat until steaming. Whisk crème fraîche with a little water until it has the consistency of heavy cream. Spoon some on top of each serving, swirling with a toothpick, if desired.

CREAMY ASPARAGUS CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, saute onions and celery in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in flour. Add the potato, milk, broth and herbs; cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potato is tender and soup is thickened, about 20-30 minutes. , Add the asparagus, salt and pepper; heat through. To serve, sprinkle with almonds, cheese and the chopped tomato.

CHEESY ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a large kettle, cook asparagus and onion in a small amount of water until tender. Drain liquid. Add all remaining ingredients; heat over medium until the cheese is melted and the soup is hot.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Wash and cut up the celery and put it in a large pot with the water and the canned beans, including the packing liquid from the beans. Heat to a simmer.
• Wash the asparagus, and snap off both the tough ends and the tips. Grind the spices and add them to the soup. Add the asparagus stalks and ends to the soup and simmer until quite tender; about 10 minutes. Reserve the tips.
• Remove the tough stem ends from the soup and discard. Puree the soup thoroughly in a blender. The soup may be made ahead up to this point; it should keep in the fridge for 24 hours.
• To serve, add the cream (if using) and reheat the soup gently. Steam the reserved tips separately until tender.
• Serve the soup garnished with the steamed tips.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Melt the butter in the oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add the broth; heat to boiling.
• 2. Trim woody ends off the asparagus. Reserve the tips, then cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces; add to broth. Add the carrots, parsley, tarragon, salt, pepper and cayenne to broth. Simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 45 to 50 minutes.
• 3. Puree in batches in a blender or a food processor, then strain soup back into the pot.
• 4. Before serving, add the asparagus tips and simmer over medium-low heat until the tips are tender and soup is hot, about 10 minutes.
• 5. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired, and a sprinkling of diced tomato.

WHITE ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH MORELS

Steps:

• Snap off ends of white asparagus. Trim triangular leaves from sides, and peel spears. Cut top 2 inches off spears. Finely slice rest.
• Place tops in saucepan of salted water. Simmer 8 minutes. Add wild asparagus or green tips; simmer 2 minutes. Drain.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 2-quart saucepan. Add shallot and garlic; sauté over medium-low heat until tender. Do not brown. Remove half of shallot and garlic; set aside. Add sliced asparagus to saucepan, with chicken stock, bay leaf, 2 sprigs thyme and salt and white pepper to taste. Simmer 10 minutes, until asparagus is very soft.
• Put morels in small saucepan. Add 1/2 cup water, reserved shallots, garlic and remaining thyme. Simmer 2 minutes, until water is almost evaporated. Add asparagus tops and wild asparagus or green tips, toss, and season with salt and pepper. Remove thyme.
• Remove herbs from saucepan with sliced asparagus. Add cream and remaining butter. Return to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to blender jar. Blend on very low a few seconds, then blend on highest speed about one minute.
• Divide morels, asparagus tops and wild asparagus or green tips in each of four soup bowls. Pour soup over, and serve. (Soup and garnish can also be chilled and served cold.

ASPARAGUS SOUP II

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, combine the water or stock, asparagus ends and separated leek greens. Heat over low heat and allow to simmer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• In a medium saute pan, heat the butter and oil. Add the leek 'whites', onion and rice and cook until the onion begins to color (about 8 minutes). Add 1 cup of the warm stock and cook 10 more minutes.
• Strain the stock of the asparagus and leek ends and return to the stockpot. Add the contents of the saute pan to the strained stock along with the asparagus middles and partially cover the pot. Cook 12 more minutes.
• Transfer soup to a food processor and puree. Strain this back into the stockpot. Season and add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Meanwhile, drop the asparagus tips into boiling salted water and cook until tender (about 4 minutes). Serve the soup with a few asparagus tips on top for garnish.

MICHIGAN ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• If you can find summer savory- and it's fresh- that is the key to making the best asparagus soup. If not, add the rosemary in-- to taste-- instead.
• Chop up veggies and herbs, boil them in a large pot with enough water to cover them, just a little past tender but not mushy.
• Let the veggies cool, drain them and reserve the broth.
• Blend the veggies and herb mix with one cup broth to high heaven! Sometimes there are little strings from the celery, but I don't mind that. To avoid this, chop up the celery more before cooking.
• Return mixture to the pot and add the rest of the ingredients, heating slowly.
• Be careful with the salt and pepper if you are using the optional chicken stock and add this in after the stock.