She told me that her husband is always trying to throw away random scraps of paper he finds around the house, but she has to stop him because they are actually recipes. She says she only needs to write down the part that’s not in her head. Laura read in Cooking Light recently about different kinds of cooks, and realized that she is firmly entrenched in the Approximator category: adds ingredients willy nilly according to taste. My sister Laura told me I should try out her Simple Asparagus Soup recipe when I was visiting her in Texas a couple months ago. So I took a quick shot on my phone: I thought I would be able to figure out the method when it came time to make the soup. (“I’ve totally got this.” Famous last words.) But no matter how long I stared at that tiny scrap of paper it just didn’t make sense. Steam the onions? In broth? While I make a roux in another pan? What?? I finally broke down and called Laura (while simultaneously photographing asparagus, which resulted in this). She walked me through her recipe. Kind of. She kept saying things like, “What I probably did was…” and “I definitely didn’t steam anything.” This is so NOT me. I tend to stick to recipes (at least the first time around.) I think I only have one recipe memorized (and that’s because I make this Butterscotch Oatmeal for Charlotte every. single. morning.) I’m actually pretty bad at winging it in the kitchen. Why do you think I started a food blog? How else am I supposed to remember what to do?? So really, I want to know, do you guys usually follow recipes or not so much?
P.S. If you’re wondering about the books in the photos today, it’s because I joined a food photography challenge group. The first challenge was to tell a story with your photo, and include a non-food-related item. I got the non-food-item part, but I’m not really sure what the story is here. Peruse an ancient encyclopedia while feasting on Asparagus Soup? Relax with your husband’s stolen glasses while you thumb through ‘Song and Garden Birds of North America,’ and let your soup get cold? Clearly I need to work on my artsy BS skills. Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram 2. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat and saute the onions and asparagus. 3. Move the veggies to one side of the pot and make a roux with butter, flour, salt, and pepper on the other side of the pot. Whisk out any lumps. Add the milk and combine. 4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. 5. Bring water and salt to a boil and blanch the asparagus tips. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water, then set aside. 6. Turn off the heat when the soup is done simmering. Puree the soup with an immersion blender (or use a regular blender). 7. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, and Parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the reserved asparagus tips and shredded Parmesan.
Remove the woody part of the asparagus. I know it can seem wasteful to chop off so much of the asparagus, but it’s basically inedible. Super tough, like chewing on a stick. If you’ve never cut asparagus before, take a single spear and bend it until it snaps. That’s your guideline for trimming – everything that snapped off is worth removing. Blanch the asparagus tips. You might be tempted to skip this step, but it’s worth it. The asparagus needs a couple minutes in boiling water to get tender. Consider doubling the recipe. This soup only makes enough for 2-3 people (maybe 4 if you’re serving it with bread and salad), so double it if you have a bigger group.
Green Salad with Feta and Beets « two words: no. chopping. Strawberry Panzanella Salad « this one has fried bread, yes please!! Avocado and Grapefruit Salad « so many fresh flavors and fun textures in this one The Best Garlic Bread of Your Life « believe me it’s not just for pasta. Big Fat Crescent Rolls, yeah « you’ll be saying “yeah!” too, I promise.Samoan Coconut Rolls « if you’ve never had these, you’ve GOT to try them.
Freezing the Best Asparagus Soup
If you want to freeze this soup, I recommend that you don’t add the yogurt. Yogurt and other dairy products can change consistency in the freezer and become grainy. No thanks. Instead, make the soup through step 7 and add the yogurt, lemon juice, and Parmesan after thawing your frozen soup, as part of the reheating process.
How to reheat this Asparagus Soup Recipe
Depending on how much you’re reheating, you can warm up a bowl of this in the microwave or put it in a saucepan and warm it on top of the stove.
