From the archives. You are going to start seeing asparagus popping up at your local Farmer's markets. First on the west coast and then as spring gets its footing, throughout other parts of the country.

Look for bright green, perky, and vibrant stems with closed, unruffled tops. (We'll write about white asparagus later in the season). And use the asparagus as quickly as possible after purchasing (within a day or two) to retain the highest nutrient levels.

This is one of our favorite asparagus recipes. A simple soup - pure, straight-forward and delicious. Vegans can certainly omit the Parmesan and sour cream called for at the end. A touch of coconut milk cream added in their place will help round out the soup and meld flavors together.

Asparagus Soup with Parmesan

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 shallots, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 large bunches or organic asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces

4 1/2 cups water or light vegetable broth
1/2 cup organic sour cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
sea salt to taste (typically 2-4 teaspoons, less if you a salty broth, more if you use water)

Make your soup base: In a large pot over medium heat add the olive oil, onions, shallots, and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, or until the onions start to soften up.

Simmer: Add the asparagus, and water/broth and bring just to a boil. Dial down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the asparagus starts to get soft, but not mushy. You want it to still be bright and vibrant in color. Remove from heat.

Puree: You can use an immersion blender or stand-up blender to puree the soup. The immersion blender make quick work of pureed soups like this, and they are pretty cheap - so keep you eyes peeled if you like pureed soups. If you like asparagus soup silky smooth, blend until you get the soup as smooth as possible, and then push it through a mesh sieve. You lose a lot of the good stuff this way, but some people are picky.

Finish: Whisk in the sour cream, and Parmesan cheese. This next step is crucial. Season to taste with salt. Don't under season or your soup will taste flat. A squeeze oflemon also sometimes helps to balance out this soup and keep it bright.

Garnish with homemade croutons or toasted pine nuts.

Big pot, serves about 6.

Comments (0) | March 18 - 3:34 PM

category: Recipes, Vegan / Veg