Paulas Asparagus Soup Recipes

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with 2 cups water and fit with a steamer basket. Bring to a boil. Add the asparagus and steam until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the asparagus to a cutting board and pour the water from the pot into a large measuring cup; add more water if needed to equal 2 cups. Set the pot aside.
• When the asparagus is cool enough to handle, trim off the tips and halve lengthwise; toss with a pinch of salt. Save these pieces for garnish. Add the remaining asparagus pieces to a blender with 1 cup of the reserved steaming water and blend until very smooth.
• Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds more. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine.
• Slowly whisk in the half-and-half and remaining 1 cup reserved steaming water until smooth. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and the coriander. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to thicken, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir in the asparagus puree. Taste and adjust the seasonings (add more salt if it needs it!) and let the soup heat through. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the asparagus tips. Season with pepper.

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl with salted ice water. Working in 2 batches, add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to the bowl of ice water. Drain. Reserve 7 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.
• Thinly slice 18 of the asparagus tips on the diagonal and reserve for a garnishing the soup. Chop the remaining asparagus spears into small pieces.
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes more.
• Pour in the reserved asparagus cooking liquid and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the soup. Lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the chopped asparagus and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the asparagus mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Using a sieve over a large bowl, strain the asparagus soup. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.
• Whisk the heavy cream, vermouth, and salt into the soup and season with pepper. Divide among warm soup bowls, sprinkle each soup with the reserved asparagus tips, and serve immediately.

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add asparagus and saute another 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes, until asparagus is very tender. *Carefully transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to saucepan, stir in sour cream and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to serving bowls. Dust with paprika and serve.
• *When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

PAULA'S ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Wash asparagus and toss the tough bottoms. Cut the stems in half and put bottom halves into pot with broth. Simmer until tender. Add the top halves to pot and continue to simmer. While the asparagus is simmering away, sautee in butter the onions, leeks and garlic over low heat until very tender. Add mixture to the simmering asparagus pot and puree with hand blender until smooth. Stir in creme fraiche and season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg.

ASPARAGUS SOUP IN SECONDS

Steps:

• Blend the asparagus, with liquid, in a blender or food processor until completely smooth.
• Heat asparagus and chicken broth together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in milk, if using, and bring to a low simmer. Stir in butter to finish, if using, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH DILL

Steps:

• Place the onion in a heavy three- quart saucepan. Stir in the oil, cover tightly and cook over low heat 10 minutes, until the onion is soft but not brown.
• Stir in the asparagus, celery and potato, cook for about a minute, then add the stock, wine and dill. Simmer, partly covered, about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
• Allow the mixture to cool briefly, then puree in a blender or a food processor. You may have to do this in two batches. Run the soup through a sieve into a clean saucepan.
• To serve, reheat the soup and season it to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon it into six warm soup plates. Float a few sprigs of dill on each as a garnish.

WINNING CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Place asparagus in a large saucepan and cover with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain, reserving liquid. , In a another saucepan, saute onions in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in the milk, bouillon, reserved cooking liquid and remaining water. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in asparagus; heat through.

ZIPPY CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan coated with cooking spray, saute onion and garlic until tender. Add the asparagus, broth and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until asparagus is tender., Place a third of the mixture in a blender; add cream cheese, sour cream and dill. Cover and process until smooth; return to pan. Cook over medium heat until heated through. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

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.

EASY POTATO ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large sauce pot, add onion and cook over medium heat until tender.
• Add flour and stir to coat onions.
• Add asparagus, milk, broth, potatoes, salt and pepper, increase heat to medium high and cook until thick and bubbling, stirring often.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring ocassionaly, 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Add cheese, tomato and sour cream and simmer until cheese is melted.

QUICK CREAMY ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute leeks and onions in oil and butter until tender. Add the asparagus and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat. Set aside 1 cup of asparagus pieces., In a blender, process the remaining asparagus mixture in batches until smooth; return to the pan. Stir in the cream, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until heated through. Garnish with reserved asparagus pieces.

ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH BASIL CREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan simmer reserved asparagus ends in water, covered, 15 minutes. Remove and discard asparagus ends with slotted spoon and bring water to a boil. Add reserved asparagus tips and cook, uncovered, over high heat until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer asparagus tips with slotted spoon to a colander, reserving cooking liquid, and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain tips well.
• In a 4-quart heavy saucepan cook onions in butter with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring until pale golden. Add asparagus stalk pieces, broth, and reserved cooking liquid and simmer, covered, 15 minutes, or until asparagus pieces are tender.
• Basil cream
• Make basil cream while soup simmers: In a small saucepan bring cream to a boil and stir in basil and salt. Cook mixture over high heat, stirring, until basil is wilted, about 5 to 10 seconds, and in a blender purée mixture. Return basil cream to small saucepan and keep warm.
• Purée soup in cleaned blender in small batches and return to 4-quart saucepan, thinning with water if desired. Season soup with salt and pepper and heat over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
• Divide soup among 6 bowls and add asparagus tips, arranging them decoratively. Drizzle basil cream over each serving.

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.

PAN-ROASTED ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Break off bottom part of each asparagus stalk, and discard. Coarsely chop the rest of stalks, leaving 12 or 16 of the flower ends whole. Put butter or oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add asparagus and tarragon, raise heat to high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Remove whole flower ends; set aside.
• Add stock and some salt and pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until asparagus is very tender, about 10 minutes. Cool at least a few minutes.
• Pour soup into a blender, in batches if necessary, and carefully purée. Return to pan, and, over medium-low heat, reheat gently. When soup is hot, adjust seasoning. Put 3 or 4 asparagus flower ends in each of 4 bowls; ladle in soup, and serve.

LADY AND SONS ASPARAGUS SANDWICH - PAULA DEEN

Steps:

• First,blanch the asparagus spears in boiling, salted water for 1 minute. Remove immediately to a bowl of ice water.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus and saute lightly. Season with the salt and pepper, or lemon pepper. Remove asparagus from pan and set aside. Butter 2 pieces of the pumpernickle bread with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Place the bread in the same skillet, buttered side down, and grill on 1 side. Flip bread and place 1 piece of cheese on each slice of bread. Grill until cheese is melted and then remove from pan. Spread desired amount of dressing on top of each slice of bread. Arrange asparagus on top of cheese, rotating the spears. Place onion rings on top of asparagus. Cut sandwich in half. Garnish with pickle slices or parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
• In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper, to taste. Store it in an air-tight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Yield: 2 3/4 cups.