Asparagus Soup

I have to admit I was getting a little panicky when I saw a sign that said this is the last week for asparagus season. I had one more recipe left in Simply in Season where asparagus was an absolute necessity. This is it. I decided to try a farm stand near me instead of driving down to the farmer’s market, and lo and behold they still had asparagus! As well as some other nice produce. It was so cute, he grows it in his garden and sells it at the end of his driveway. There’s a little lockbox with a handwritten sign that says “Please be honest.” Great advice!

FOR PRINTABLE VERSION CLICK HERE: Asparagus Soup
1 lb asparagus
2 cups water (or broth; I used chicken broth for both water/broth additions)
1 medium potato (peeled and chopped, although I didn’t peel mine)
1 small onion (chopped) (I substituted a handful of chopped green onion tops)
1 stalk celery (optional) (I didn’t use)
2 cups broth
1 cup dry milk powder
2 Tbs flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I didn’t use)

1. Blanch the tips of the asparagus until just tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain (saving water for some of the broth) and set aside asparagus tips. Chop the spears, peeling the tough ends first if needed. (Since this was just for DH and me, I didn’t bother making the blanched decorative tips.)

2. Cook the water, potato, onion, celery with asparagus until soft, 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, puree, and return to heat. (I left a good portion of it chunky since DH HATES finely pureed soups. This is easy enough to do with one of those stick blenders.)

3. Blend broth, dry milk powder, flour, and salt and pepper separately. Add to soup and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens slightly (stir constantly).

4. Drain yogurt slightly and place a dab in each bowl. Pour soup over it and garnish with the reserved asparagus tips. (Again, would make a nice presentation but for just DH . . . meh.)

Servings: 4

The Verdict: This was a hit! I’m so glad I left part of it chunky. The asparagus and potatoes were so tasty. I used chicken broth, so that flavor came through quite a bit as well. And the dry milk powder made it creamy without being too calorie-laden.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/4 of a recipe (17.2 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated by Living Cookbook Recipe Management Software.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 163.91
Calories From Fat (18%) 30.1
% Daily Value
Total Fat 3.35g 5%
Saturated Fat 1.7g 9%
Cholesterol 8.24mg 3%
Sodium 523.02mg 22%
Potassium 678.4mg 19%
Total Carbohydrates 25.02g 8%
Fiber 3.42g 14%
Sugar 5.14g
Protein 9.28g 19%

This post linked to Meatless Mondays