Time 35m Yield 4 serving(s) Number Of Ingredients 10 Steps:
Soak and rinse asparagus. Remove top 1 inch of each spear, discard tough lower part, and reserve middle portion of stalks. In a 3-quart saucepan, over medium heat, sauté onion in butter for 3 to 5 minutes or until translucent. Add chicken stock, asparagus tips and stems, potato, celery, thyme, and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove asparagus tips and set aside. Place half of the soup at a time in a blender container. Cover and blend at high speed for 20 to 30 seconds or until very smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and return blended soup to saucepan. Add reserved asparagus tips and cream (or half and half, or milk) and heat thoroughly, or refrigerate to be served cold. Be sure to adjust the seasoning after you add the cream (or half& half, or milk), especially if you plan to serve it cold.
Time 50m Yield 4 servings Number Of Ingredients 8 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.
Time 40m Yield 4 Number Of Ingredients 10 Steps:
In a large saucepan, combine asparagus, chopped onion, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until asparagus is tender, about 12 minutes. Process the mixture in a blender to puree the vegetables. Set aside. In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in the remaining chicken broth, and increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils. Stir in the asparagus puree and the milk. Put the sour cream in a small bowl, and stir in a ladleful of the hot soup. Add the sour cream mixture and the lemon juice to the soup. Stir while heating the soup to serving temperature, but don’t allow it to boil. Serve immediately.
Time 30m Yield 6 servings. Number Of Ingredients 9 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.
Time 40m Yield 4 to 6 servings Number Of Ingredients 0 Steps:
Saute 1 chopped onion, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme in 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 2 pounds asparagus (trimmed and chopped), 1 1/2 cups each water and chicken broth and a big pinch of salt. Simmer until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Working in batches, puree in a blender. Return to the pot, whisk in 1/2 cup crème fraiche and warm through (do not boil). Season with salt and pepper. Top with more creme fraiche and chopped chives.
Time 40m Yield 4 servings Number Of Ingredients 5 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.
Yield Serves 8 Number Of Ingredients 9 Steps:
In a large (4-quart) saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and thyme; cook until the shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the flour; cook until incorporated, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus and 6 cups water; season generously with salt. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, and simmer, until the asparagus is bright green and just tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender until very smooth. To prevent splattering, fill the blender only halfway, and allow heat to escape: Remove the cap from the hole in the lid, and cover the lid with a dish towel. (To freeze, see note, below.) If serving right away, stir in the cream and lemon juice. Freezing the Soup Omit the cream and lemon juice. Cool to room temperature before dividing among airtight containers (leaving 1 inch of space at top). Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator; reheat over low heat. Stir in the cream and lemon juice before serving.
Time 1h Yield 6 Number Of Ingredients 13 Steps:
Melt butter or margarine in a heavy cooking pot. Add onions and chopped celery; saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in flour, mixing well. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Do not burn, or let it go lumpy. Add water, chicken broth, and chicken soup base; stir until smooth. Bring to a boil. Add diced potatoes and chopped asparagus. Reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Puree soup in a food processor or blender in batches. Return to pot. Stir in half and half cream, soy sauce, and black and white pepper. Bring soup just to boil. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve hot.
Time 50m Number Of Ingredients 7 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.
Yield 4 servings Number Of Ingredients 6 Steps:
Cut tips from 12 asparagus 1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish. Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces. Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain. Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids), and return to pan. Stir in crème fraîche, then add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter. Add lemon juice and garnish with asparagus tips.
Time 30m Number Of Ingredients 8 Steps:
In a large (4-quart) saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and thyme; cook until shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add flour; cook until incorporated, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add asparagus and 6 cups water; season generously with salt. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, and simmer, until asparagus is bright green and just tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Working in small batches, purée soup in a blender until very smooth. To prevent splattering, fill blender only halfway, and allow heat to escape: Remove cap from hole in lid, and cover lid with a dish towel. (To freeze, see note.) If serving right away, stir in cream and lemon juice.
Time 50m Yield 6 serving(s) Number Of Ingredients 4 Steps:
Cut the tips off of 12 asparagus (1 1/2") and set aside. Discard cut bottom ends of asparagus. Cut asparagus stalks into 1" pieces. Cook onion and asparagus in oil in large fry pan over medium heat, stirring often till softened (I cover the pan). Pour this into large sauce pan. Add broth and simmer on low medium about 15-20 minutes. While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender (3-4 minutes). and drain. Puree soup in a blender (or hand blender) until smooth. Ladle into bowls and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with asparagus tips.
