Saturday, March 17, 2018

Asparagus and More Soup #SoupSaturdaySwappers


One of the first tell tale signs of spring, the time you can finally say goodbye to winter is seeing the first asparagus spears showing up.  They poke through the detritus winter left behind in the garden and you sit and watch as they almost literally grow in front of your eyes.  One day, they're just peeking out and the next day they're up a couple of inches and then you can wait another day, or cut those fat little shoots and go inside and eat them, if they even make it to the house. 
I used to have a garden I could do that with, but we moved and left the asparagus behind and now I have to buy it.
And I do, buy it, that is.  At least when I can find nice fat asparagus.  We don't like those thin ones, they resemble grass and taste like it as well.  At least in my humble opinion. 
Sally of Bewitching Kitchen is our hostess this month for Soup Saturday Swappers and she suggested the theme of "Say Goodbye to Winter" for our soups.  BTW, Soup Saturday Swappers are a group of bloggers who get together the third Saturday of the month to share soups with a common theme.  We've had some fun themes, from Copy Cat soups to Quick Weeknight Soups, I made a Hurricane Irma Chicken and Rice soup that was so good that month.  
I think this soup qualifies as a good soup for Say Goodbye to Winter, although with the temps here the past few days, I think winter has overstayed its welcome. 
Asparagus and More Soup for #SoupSaturdaySwappers
Although my favorite way to eat asparagus is lightly steamed with butter, I also wanted to try my hand at making a soup from it as well.  I googled all kinds of recipes and they all seemed to have the same basic ingredients.   Asparagus, onions, stock and cream. I wanted to make a Cream of Asparagus Soup but I wanted something a little different.
I'm not one for following the herd, and since I had some lovely, well, sorta lovely zucchini that were almost past their use-by date, I decided to go ahead and add them to the soup. 
Am I glad I did.
We've been eating a lot of Asparagus lately and I had a bunch of stems that were left over, and kept stockpiling them.    I peeled them, added them to some lovely homemade chicken stock and let them simmer for about 40 minutes,
Asparagus and More Soup for #SoupSaturdaySwappers
then I added two small zucchini, let them all simmer an additional 10 minutes.  I grabbed my immersion blender and blended the hot soup.  I may have said this a few times, but I love being able to sip on a mug of soup as I work.  So, it was all blended and lovely and green. I tasted it at this point and decided it needed 'something' and it was also pretty thin.  ( I might have added too much soup stock, oops).
So I added some of my instant Garlic Roasted instant Potato flakes (don't judge, they come in handy for a lot of things) and tasted it again, and it was about perfect.  A dollop of Creme Fraiche on top
Asparagus and More Soup for #SoupSaturdaySwappers
and some decorations (same camera, but look at the different colors of the soup, but I'm using the pictures anyway)
Asparagus and More Soup for #SoupSaturdaySwappers
and it was good to go.  I even raided my poor parsley plant as well as the chives, and made them work. 
Here's the recipe and check out the links at the end for more great soups from our fellow Soup Saturday Swappers. 



Yield: 4 servings

Asparagus and More Soup
Asparagus and More Soup for #SoupSaturdaySwappers

prep time: 10 MINScook time: 40 MINStotal time: 50 mins
This is a lovely, quick soup that can be enjoyed by the mug or bowlful.

ingredients:


6 cups Chicken Stock
1 lb. Asparagus stems, peeled
2 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup Instant Roasted Garlic Potato flakes
dollop of Creme Fraiche on each bowl
Chopped Chives and Asparagus tips for decorations

instructions:


Peel and chop the tough part of the stems from the Asparagus, (this is the part you usually throw away). 
Heat 6 cups of Chicken Stock, add the asparagus to it and let it simmer for at least 40 minutes or until the asparagus is tender.  Add 2 small zucchini, chopped and simmer an additional 10-15 minutes.  Using an immersion blender, blend the soup well.  Taste and add 1/2 cup of instant Roasted Potato Flakes to the pot and stir in.  Simmer another 5 minutes. 
Serve by the mug or bowlful with a dollop of Creme Fraiche on each bowl and top with a little chopped chives and Asparagus tips.  
All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2018, with all rights reserved thereof.  
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Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

15 comments:

  1. I love all vegetables but none so much as asparagus. Asparagus was the start to a lifetime love affair with crisp, fresh veggies.

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    1. I agree. When I was growing up, Asparagus was a special occasion vegetable, and I always loved it. It's also one of the 3 or 4 cooked veggies my husband likes, so we have it as often as I can find a good deal on it.

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  2. Gorgeous soup, great choice to say goodbye to winter and welcome spring!

    loved to have you in our virtual get-together...

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    1. Thanks. I loved the soup and am planning on making it again this week, there's a few asparagus spears lurking in the fridge, and they need a place to go.

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  3. Nothing says spring like asparagus! ....unless it is rhubarb! :-) Asparagus soup is always delicious!! Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Asparagus and rhubarb are both harbringer's of spring. I wish I could find some nice young tender rhubarb, I have so many recipes which call for it, including a Danish soup.

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  4. I love instant potato flakes! They come in handy as a thickener and really soften bread. Your soup sounds delicious.

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    1. I'm so glad I'm not the only one who keeps it on hand. I never knew you could use it to soften bread though. I use it in mashed potatoes to keep from having to add more butter for flavor. I also use it when I'm breading chicken.

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  5. I love zucchini and needed another way to serve it. I cannot wait until my bounty comes in so I can make this!

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    1. I love zucchini as well and it played so nicely with the asparagus in this soup. I depend on the generosity of my friends to keep me well supplied with zucchini. And they do.

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  6. Great soup... have you brought it over to Food on friday yet? Cheers from Carole's Chatter

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    1. I just brought it over along with my Crab Cake Spring rolls which also have a generous helping of Asparagus inside. Thanks for the reminder.

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  7. I like the use of instant potato flakes...a great way to quickly thicken up soup!

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  8. Hope you had a wonderful weekend and thanks so much for sharing your special post with us at Full Plate Thursday! Have a great week and come back soon!
    Miz Helen

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