Uncle Bills Asparagus Soup Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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.

SUNNY'S GRILLED ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH CHILE-CHEESE CIABATTA TOAST

Steps:

• For the soup: Preheat a grill for direct and indirect cooking or oven to 400 degrees F. If using a grill, set a wire rack directly on the grill grate.
• Brush the asparagus and scallions all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place over the direct heat of the grill. Cook, turning a few times, until limber and partially charred, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove to a cutting board.
• Make the toast: In a small bowl mix the jam and sambal. Spread on the cut side of the rolls. Divide and pile the cheese on top of the jam on each roll and place over the indirect heat of the grill (directly on the grates or on a baking sheet). Cook, covered, until the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Build the soup. Transfer the grilled veggies to a cutting board and roughly chop. Add to the jar of a blender. Add the stock, yogurt and parsley and blend until smooth.
• Put the soup, lemon zest, garlic and salt to taste in a medium pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to warm through. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
• To finish the soup: In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice and honey. Pour the soup into bowls. Spoon 3 drops of the yogurt mixture into each bowl and run a skewer in a circle through the yogurt mixture to make a decorative pattern.
• Serve the toast alongside the soup.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in heavy bottomed soup pot. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the ground cumin and coriander seed and stir with vegetables for about 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to boil. Turn down to simmer, and add the diced potatoes and thyme. When potatoes are soft, add the asparagus and frozen spinach and simmer for about 10 minutes until asparagus is fully cooked but still green. Puree soup in a blender or food processor and return to the soup pot. Add cream and lemon rind, bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and serve with toasted croutons, if desired

UNCLE BILL'S SPECIAL CREAMY POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or a medium cooking pot, add potatoes, cover with water; bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. The potatoes will not be fully cooked and that is fine.
• Drain and transfer to a large cooking pot.
• In a large frying pan, on medium-high heat, melt 1/4 cup of butter.
• Add sliced onions, stir and cook until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add flour and stir well to coat onions.
• Add leeks, celery and garlic and fry for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Transfer the onion-leek mixture to the large cooking pot.
• Add chicken broth, bring to boil, reduce heat and cook for about 3 minutes.
• Add the milk, whipping cream, salt, pepper, thyme, and celery seeds.
• Bring the soup to boil, reduce heat and cook for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
• In a food processor or blender, puree soup in batches until smooth and return to the cooking pot. You may also use an immersion blender.
• Add grated cheese and bring to just boil or until cheese melts.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.
• Serve soup hot.
• Refrigerate any unused portion ot the soup.

UNCLE BILL'S LIGHT VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large cooking pot, add broth, water and chicken soup base and bring to boil.
• In the meantime, in a frying pan on medium-high heat, melt butter, add onions and saute for 5 minutes or until translucent.
• Add tomatoes and cook until reduced and sauce starts to thicken, about 10 minutes; set aside.
• To the cooking pot, add carrots, potatoes, garlic, white pepper, salt, chili powder, hot red pepper flakes, dried dill weed and pasta and cook until pasta is el dente, about 10 minutes.
• Add onion/tomato sauce, celery and tiny peas and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.
• Serve soup hot.
• Refrigerate any unused portions.
• You can use all water instead of chicken broth or vegetable broth. Use 1 vegetable bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon of chicken soup base for each 2 cups of water.
• You can also use a small penne pasta of your choice, or pearl barley, macaroni or basmati rice instead of small shell pasta.

QUICK ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine asparagus, onion, water, salt, bouillon, basil and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Cool for 5 minutes; stir in milk., In a blender or food processor, process the soup in batches until smooth; return to the pan. Stir in cream; heat through. Garnish with croutons.

UNCLE BILL'S CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large heavy bottom cooking pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.
• Add onions, leeks, carrots celery and garlic and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes or until vegetables are slightly softened but not browned.
• Add chicken broth, water, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary.
• Bring to boil.
• Cut chicken into bite size pieces and add to soup along with the diced mushrooms.
• Add noodles and bring soup to boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove bay leaf and discard.
• Stir in parsley, salt and pepper.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.
• Serve soup hot.
• Refrigerate any unused portions.
• NOTE: Homemade Chicken or Turkey Stock is so much better than purchased broth.

HOMEMADE CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add asparagus and bone broth; cover and simmer until asparagus is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and puree with an immersion blender until smooth.
• Stir in cream, Marsala wine, lemon zest, salt, Aleppo pepper, and black pepper until well blended. Return to low heat and simmer (do not boil) until flavors are mixed and soup is hot, about 5 minutes.
• Ladle into bowls. Garnish with sour cream and croutons.

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.

SIMPLE ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Stir in vegetables and seasonings; cook until vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally., Stir in rice and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until rice is tender, 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally., Puree soup using an immersion blender, or cool slightly and puree soup in batches in a blender. Return to pot and heat through. If desired, serve with sour cream and croutons. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight (soup may separate). In a saucepan, reheat to boiling, whisking until blended.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a 3-qt. saucepan, saute onions in butter for 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Add asparagus, broth and seasonings; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. , Add rice. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

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.

UNCLE BILL'S FRENCH MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse both mushrooms in cold water and immediately pat dry with paper towels.
• Cut mushrooms into quarters and then slice thinly, 1/8 inch thick.
• In a large heavy bottom soup pot, melt butter on medium heat.
• Add mushrooms and saute for 5 to 6 minutes or until liquid from the mushrooms has mostly evaporated.
• Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
• Gradually stir in chicken broth, water and chicken soup base and bring to boil, about 5 minutes, stirring often so the bottom does not burn.
• Add thyme, bay leaf and green onions.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf and discard.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and whipping cream.
• Slowly add 1 cup of hot broth mixture from the soup pot to the egg/cream mixture, whisking constantly until incorporated. This prevents the egg yolks from cooking.
• Return mixture to the soup pot, adding slowly and whisking all the time while adding.
• Heat over low heat until hot, about 5 minutes.
• Add white pepper to taste.
• Serve soup sprinkled with minced parsley.

UNCLE BILL'S MARVELOUS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying, add ground beef and fry until cooked, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Drain off any fat and discard.
• Add remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to frying pan, chopped onions and garlic and saute' for 5 minutes.
• Add chopped celery, diced green and red peppers, sliced mushrooms, chopped zucchini, and saute' until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add grated carrots, cover and cook until carrots are limp, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer this mixture to a large cooking pot.
• Add tomatoes including liquid, tomato sauce, parsley, hot pepper flakes and allspice and heat to boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Blend in wine and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• FILLING: Squeeze water from spinach and discard.
• Chop spinach small.
• In a mixing bowl, combine spinach, cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, beaten egg, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, mix well and set aside.
• TO ASSEMBLE: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Use a 10" x 14" x 2" deep, heavy duty aluminum foil baking dish.
• Layer about 1/2" of prepared sauce over the bottom.
• Place enough lasagna sheets to cover area and press lightly into sauce.
• Layer another 1/2" of prepared sauce.
• Place lasagna sheets over and press lightly into sauce.
• Add spinach filling and level.
• Place lasagna sheets over and press lightly into filling.
• Add another layer of lasagna sheets.
• Layer another 1/2" of prepared sauce over.
• Place another layer of lasagna sheets and press lightly into sauce.
• Add the remaining sauce over and level.
• Sprinkle top generously with grated mozzarella cheese.
• Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese over.
• If desired, grate a 1/2 cup of Emmentaler Swiss cheese and sprinkle over top.
• Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil being careful not to let foil touch the lasagna.
• Bake in preheated 450 F oven for 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 425 degrees F.
• Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
• Remove from oven, cover and let sit to set for about 5 minutes before cutting.
• Cut into pieces and serve hot.
• Ondine Delverde Lasagna is a brand name and is sold in packages of 15 lasagna sheets and also 3- 8" x 8" aluminum foil pans.
• You can use these pans if desired.
• This lasagna is pre-cooked and does not require any cooking before hand.
• They now make fresh lasagna sheets that do not require pre-cooking.
• You may also use lasagna strips but you will require cooking these.

CHUNKY ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute the asparagus, onion and garlic in butter for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Add curry powder; simmer 5 more minutes. Add mushrooms and pimientos. Stir in broth and milk. Heat, but do not boil. Add cheese cubes and stir until melted.