Asparagus Soup with Cream
The asparagus tips are cooked briefly to retain crispness and the stalks pureed to lend the soup a light green hue. You’ll also need a potato to slightly thicken and some parsley for that fresh herby taste.
The original recipe calls for a brief simmer with a tied-up bunch of parsley, presumably for easy extraction before pureeing. It seems to be missing this step so I added it. Blending the soup with the parsley also didn’t seem right because doing so could kill the subtle taste of asparagus.
The soup is finished with heavy cream, but since it’s getting warmer and I need to get sexy soon, I used milk. Either way, the soup will be smooth and creamy.
recipe adapted from James Peterson’s Splendid Soups
Eating with the Seasons: April hosted by Maninas
Asparagus Soup with Cream Recipe
makes about 8 servings
Trying to be way too artsy over here.
Ingredients:
2 pounds asparagus
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 medium red waxy potato, peeled and sliced
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
about 12 sprigs of parsley, tied up with string
1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Notes:
- Use white peppercorns if you’re anal about having black specks in your precious soup, as I am.
Directions:
- In a large pot, bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil.
- Trim and discard the fibrous portion of the asparagus, about 2 inches at the base. Cut the asparagus tips and reserve. Cut the asparagus stalks into 1-inch segments and reserve.
- Blanch the asparagus tips and stalks separately.
Cook the asparagus tips in the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Immediately rinse under cold running water and reserve.
Cook the asparagus stalks in the boiling water for about 5 minutes. Immediately rinse under cold running water and reserve. - In a medium pot, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sliced potatoes. Saute for about 10 minutes while stirring frequently, or until the onions turn translucent (try not to let the onions or potatoes brown).
- Add the asparagus stalks, the broth, and the parsley. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are thoroughly softened. Remove and discard the tied-up bunch of parsley.
- Puree the soup using a food mill, food processor, or blender. Strain using a medium-mesh strainer.
- To serve, heat the asparagus puree over low heat and mix in the heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix in the asparagus tips just before serving.
Taking a photo of this soup is not fun. The asparagus tips keep sinking.
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April 17th, 2009 at 2:36 am
Jude, I think that asparagus soup is sexy enough for the two of you!
April 17th, 2009 at 3:10 am
A delicious looking soup! Perfect!
Cheers,
Rosa
April 17th, 2009 at 4:03 am
Ha… love the last bit of pic’s explanation, but the first pic..looks like a bowl of soup for Caesar, Superb!
April 17th, 2009 at 5:32 am
Artsy’s not a bad thing when it highlights asparagus. I seriously can’t wait until my farmer’s market opens up here and I can get some.
April 17th, 2009 at 6:02 am
Lovely soup & a seriously beautiful pic.I am going to steal that bowl from you, with the soup in it:-)
April 17th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Good call
I heard you can also add puree of cooked rice in place of cream, but I have a hard time thinking that it will be anything as smooth as a creamed soup.
April 17th, 2009 at 7:35 am
A great recipe! I love the pic of the asparagus too…
I made a split pea and asparagus soup that is visually very similar to this…
http://hurstbeanblog.com/2009/03/19/split-pea-and-asparagus-soup/
Thanks!
April 17th, 2009 at 7:36 am
A great Spring soup, such lovely color
April 17th, 2009 at 9:14 am
I was going to post asparagus soup this week! How weird! I guess not, however….It is the first sign of spring. I love it! Thanks for posting and the pictures are fabulous!
April 17th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Yes to that pale green color! It screams spring.
April 17th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
ha ha! Gettin’ sexy, oh yeah! That soup looks divine.
April 17th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I love this recipe, especially using the stalks and tips separately. Looks delicious, and your photos aren’t “artsy”, they’re GREAT!!
April 17th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
I really love asparagus soup . . . I just never make it myself, always rely on others to make it for me. This is beautiful.
April 17th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Yum, what a beautiful spring soup to make. I’ll have to pick up some asparagus from the farmers market this weekend.
April 17th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
I have to saw the contrast with the brown against the green… fabulous. I agree I LOVE the artsy feel to all your photos = ) The recipe sounds like comfort = ) Off to whisk off some asparagus.
April 17th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Lovely colour on your soup! It looks so delicate. Good luck bringing sexy back!
April 17th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
You picture is amazing. I think soup is so hard to photograph and make appetizing. It has beautiful color and looks delectable. Lighting, color, texture – all really well done. You’ve got to get this on Tastespotting!
April 17th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
You succeeded with the photos, they look great! I decided recently that I love asparagus (never liked it before for some reason) and haven’t stopped eating it since! I have to try this soup.
April 17th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
What do you know, I just happen to have lots of asparagus cooling its heels in my fridge… Your photos for this post are particularly gorgeous!
April 18th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Gorgeous pictures and the soup looks delicious! I love asparagus soup.
April 18th, 2009 at 3:48 am
Hey…I want those black specks! I saw this soup on T-S and yep…she’s a real looker…wonderfully done.
April 18th, 2009 at 11:21 am
You’re succeeding at the artsy bit. Now how did you get that asparagus to float so pretty? My garnishes always sink to the bottom. It’s getting to the point where I’m going to but an upside down ramekin in my soup bowls to support the garnish so I can get a decent photo.
Then, depending on how much I like my husband that day, I’ll either remove the ramekin or leave it in there.
April 18th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Wonderful soup! As much as I love cream, I think I will follow your lead and use milk. The end result doesn’t appear to have suffered!
April 19th, 2009 at 7:36 am
Great photograph, the soup looks like liquid velvet.
April 19th, 2009 at 11:14 am
I have a whole bunch of asparagus in the fridge right now, and I may have just figured out what to do with it… I think this soup would be wonderful with coconut milk instead of heavy cream, too!
April 19th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Wow, that’s some gorg colors. When ya gonna write your own cookbook?
April 19th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
This is a lovely, lovely soup.
April 19th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
That first photograph is pure perfection.
April 19th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Sweetbird – The thought of using a ramekin crossed my mind. I have a 2 second window before the asparagus tips sink.
Would be kind of funny if he drank straight from the bowl and chipped a tooth.
Jaden – Yikes. That’s a scary thought
Thanks guys!
April 20th, 2009 at 9:29 am
This looks wonderful Jude and with quite a bit of asparagus I’ve seen on sale, I’ll have to remember to make this!
April 20th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Hey, don’t blame the asparagus tips for wanting to take a swim in that gorgeous soup! I would too!
The soup looks great, sinking asparagus and all!
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:10 pm
No, no, not too artsy. The photos are fabulous.
LL
April 24th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
i love the light in the first pic!!
April 25th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
That is so beautiful. You know I love green food!
April 27th, 2009 at 9:56 am
[...] and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Pasta with Fresh Basil Pesto and Broccoli and Cauliflower Sformatino Asparagus Soup with Cream and Homemade Bread Breakfast for Dinner: Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches with Fresh Fruit and [...]
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June 5th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
I may need to make this very soon. I’m a soup nut and this one captured me.
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July 24th, 2010 at 12:57 am
I saw a food stylist deal with a similar problem of sinking garnishes by submerging an upturned flat bottomed bowl in the soup and resting the floaty bits on it (for photo purposes) Bowl couldn’t be seen and it worked a treat!
September 22nd, 2010 at 11:00 am
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May 18th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Simply stunning. I love this recipe. Great photos too.
May 18th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
Wow!! i am trying to make picture like that with my CanonEOS 60D and i am far from this result. This soup look amazing and delicious. Please let me know what camera you use i am jealous( a beginner photographer too:-S…).
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November 10th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
Great photograph, the soup looks like liquid velvet.
November 10th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
A great recipe! I love the pic of the asparagus
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