Spargel Soup

Another beautiful day to celebrate here in Connecticut, happy Easter to you all! Road dog and I are very much looking forward to a gorgeous crowned rack of lamb dinner with my family and nephews later today but for now I am excited to share a Spring soup recipe I made earlier in the week.

For those who follow the Smashed Garlic Facebook page, you probably saw the Spargel Soup link I posted on Tuesday. This particular white asparagus soup recipe is gluten free unlike many of the others I found online. Rather than using flour as a thickener, the Hairy Bikers use a liaison with creme fraiche and egg yolks which I prefer. The ingredients are simple, they have to be with white asparagus as it is so delicate and mild.

Here in the US, we are used to eating the green variety, in Italy and England they prefer the purple, while in Europe they go bananas for the white. It’s such an elegant, classy looking veggie don’t you think? The season is short so if you see bundles being sold, buy one or two because they could be gone the next time you visit the store. Be sure to check the ends of the stalks, if they are dry and cracked then they have not been stored properly and won’t be nearly as palatable.

There is absolutely no difference between the white and the green except for the fact that the white has been deprived of light during the growing process keeping photosynthesis from ever taking place.  Be sure that you peel the stalks to remove the woody bitter skin before preparing them.

In Germany, Spargelzeit (white asparagus) season is celebrated in a BIG way. Historically, this was a vegetable of luxury and today festivals are held in its honor there. I think that’s pretty neat and I’d love to experience it some day.

Spargel Soup ( via the Hairy Bikers on BBC)

Ingredients:

1 lb white asparagus – peeled, ends trimmed, tips removed and set aside

1/2 stick unsalted butter – preferably from grassfed cows

1 large shallot – finely chopped

1.25 pints of organic chicken stock

4.5 tbsp creme fraiche

2 egg yolks

1 tbsp dry sherry

chopped parsley for garnish

sea salt

white pepper

 

Just a handful of things to put this delicious soup together.
Just a handful of things to put this delicious soup together.

First, prepare your asparagus.

Peel the stalks from tip to end
Peel the stalks from tip to end

Trim and discard the tough ends, remove the tips, set aside.

Just like this
Just like this

Cut the spears into small bits.

Recipe says 1cm -  I guessed.
Recipe says 1cm – I guessed.

Preheat a soup pot on medium heat.

Dice your shallot.

Dice it up nice and fine so it disappears in the soup
Dice it up nice and fine so it disappears in the soup

Melt the butter in the pot, when it stops foaming add the shallot.

Keiko the photo-bomber.
Keiko the photo-bomber?

Allow the shallot to sweat for a good five minutes until translucent. Then add the asparagus (not the tips).

Same step here, allow the asparagus to sweat for another 5 minutes.
Same step here, allow the asparagus to sweat for another 5 minutes.

Add the broth and simmer for about a half hour.

Now is a good time to clean up any dishes so you can relax after dinner.
Now is a good time to clean up any dishes so you can relax after dinner.

The next step is to puree this so it is smooth – I used my immersion blender right in the pot but you can use a food processor in batches if you don’t have one. Return the soup to the pot if you used a food processor.

Add the asparagus tips and simmer for 5 minutes while you make the liaison. In a glass bowl, mix the creme fraiche, egg yolks, and sherry.

SpargelSoup7

With the pot off the heat, stir in the liaison. It will begin to thicken, continue to stir gently. Season generously with salt and white pepper, tasting as you go. I ended up using a couple palm-fulls to really push the flavor to its peak.

Enjoy!
Enjoy!

Ladle into big soup bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with a crusty bread. We chose roasted garlic ciabatta – and emptied the entire soup pot. This recipe will feed four as an appetizer or two very greedy eaters like ourselves.

Ciao for now~