Ingredients
- 2¼lbs asparagus, bottom ends trimmed
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- Salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ½cup parmigiano Reggiano, shredded
- handful fresh herbs (such as thyme, dill or basil) – optional, for garnish
Instructions
1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.
2. Cut the tips from one bunch of the asparagus and set aside for garnish. Cut the remaining spears and the other bunch of asparagus into half-inch pieces.
3. Add the chopped asparagus to the pot (minus the reserved tips), along with the vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.
4. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the reserved asparagus tips for a few minutes, or until tender-crisp. Drain the tips and then place them in a bowl of ice water to ‘shock’ them — this stops the cooking process and preserves their bright green color. Once the tips are cool, drain them and set aside.
5. Purée the soup with a blender until completely smooth, then return the soup to the pot. Bring back to a simmer and stir in the lemon juice and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. To thicken the soup, allow it to simmer, uncovered, until the desired consistency is reached.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls, then top each bowl with asparagus tips, Parmigiano-Reggiano, herbs, and freshly ground black pepper.
Serves 4 to 6.
Savor this springtime soup and other delicacies on AMAWaterways’ Europe river cruises – contact me to reserve your place on board today!
