According to Wikipedia: 'The 'points d'amour' ('love tips') [of asparagus] were served as a delicacy to Madame Pompadour, grown in special green houses built by no other than Louis XV. So much for love... but what did they do with the remaining, not so much loved and now unsightly headless asparagus souls? Turned them into soup maybe. Notice, in honour of Madame Pompadour's 'love tips' the hearts on top of mine... ;-)
Recipe based on: Deliah online: Asparagus Soup
Makes 4 Portions for a light meal, or more as Appetizer:
900g asparagus, the small green ones are best
50g butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 slightly rounded Tbsp plain flour
1 liter hot vegetable or chicken stock
150ml cream
salt
freshly milled black pepper
Wash and clean the asparagus: large ones need to be peeled and ends cut off to remove the woody skin, small ones should be usable whole. To tell if an asparagus is wooden or not: all parts of the asparagus that can be cut with the metal back of the peeler are OK, the parts that the peeler cannot cut through need cutting off or peeling.
Once peeled, cut the asparagus into app. 2.5 cm pieces. Keep some small asparagus, or asparagus tips for decoration. Cut the onions into small dice and prepare the stock.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for app. 5-10 mins until soft and translucent, but avoid colouring. Add the asparagus and stir with the butter and onion then put on a lid and let them sweat for app. 1 min, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well. Add the hot stock bit by bit, stirring after each addition until all the stock has been added. Season with salt and pepper, then let simmer on low heat, partially covered, for 20-25 mins. Let the soup cool a bit and then blend it. Season to taste then temper in the cream (add it slowly by first heating it up inside a ladle suspended in the soup). Reheat gently for a view minutes, then serve, decorated with little cream swirls and asparagus tips.
________________________________________________________
CREAMY ASPARAGUS SOUP
Makes 4 Portions for a light meal, or more as Appetizer:
900g asparagus, the small green ones are best
50g butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 slightly rounded Tbsp plain flour
1 liter hot vegetable or chicken stock
150ml cream
salt
freshly milled black pepper
1) Prepare the asparagus: Wash and clean the asparagus: large ones need to be peeled and ends cut off to remove the woody skin, small ones should be usable whole. To tell if an asparagus is wooden or not: all parts of the asparagus that can be cut with the metal back of the peeler are OK, the parts that the peeler cannot cut through need cutting off or peeling. Once peeled, cut the asparagus into app. 2.5 cm pieces. Keep some small asparagus, or asparagus tips for decoration.
2) Prepare all other ingredients: Cut the onions into small dice and prepare the stock.
3) Sweat the onions: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for app. 5-10 mins until soft and translucent, but avoid colouring.
4) Sweat the asparagus: Add the asparagus and stir with the butter and onion then put on a lid and let them sweat for app. 1 min, stirring occasionally.
5) Add the flour: Sprinkle over the flour and stir well.
6) Add the stock and simmer: Add the hot stock bit by bit, stirring after each addition until all the stock has been added. Season with salt and pepper, then let simmer on low heat, partially covered, for 20-25 mins.
7) Blend: Let the soup cool a bit and then blend it.
8) Finish the Soup: Season to taste then temper in the cream (add it slowly by first heating it up inside a ladle suspended inside the soup). Reheat gently for a view minutes.
9) Serve: serve the soup in pre-heated plates, decorated with little cream swirls (use a wooden stick to make the swirls) and blanched asparagus tips.
2) Prepare all other ingredients: Cut the onions into small dice and prepare the stock.
3) Sweat the onions: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for app. 5-10 mins until soft and translucent, but avoid colouring.
4) Sweat the asparagus: Add the asparagus and stir with the butter and onion then put on a lid and let them sweat for app. 1 min, stirring occasionally.
5) Add the flour: Sprinkle over the flour and stir well.
6) Add the stock and simmer: Add the hot stock bit by bit, stirring after each addition until all the stock has been added. Season with salt and pepper, then let simmer on low heat, partially covered, for 20-25 mins.
7) Blend: Let the soup cool a bit and then blend it.
8) Finish the Soup: Season to taste then temper in the cream (add it slowly by first heating it up inside a ladle suspended inside the soup). Reheat gently for a view minutes.
9) Serve: serve the soup in pre-heated plates, decorated with little cream swirls (use a wooden stick to make the swirls) and blanched asparagus tips.
No comments:
Post a Comment