Cream of Asparagus Soup

[achookwoman]

Cream of Asparagus Soup
Asparagus is in season at the moment and cheap in the shops. This soup is based upon the Cream of Celery Soup, that I posted earlier. The process is similar except the tips are steamed in the Varoma and added later to the finished soup. It makes 6 to 8 serves.

Place in TMX bowl
3 cups of water
2 sticks of celery
18 sticks of asparagus, about as thick as your small finger. Snapped of woody end, and discarded.
Tips sliced off and placed in Varoma. Remaining sticks sliced into 2cm. lengths.
1 small potato, peeled and cut into chunks.
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into chunks.
1/2 small onion, peeled and cut in half.
2 teaspoons of salt

Cook 20 mins., 100, speed gentle, with Varoma on top containing asparagus tips.

While this is cooking make the Roux.

1 generous Tablespoon Butter
1 generous Tablespoon of flour
3 cups of milk
1/8 teaspoon of white pepper

Melt Butter in saucepan, stir in flour and cook for a few mins.
Gradually add milk and cook for 5 mins.

Remove Varoma and keep aside.
Zap the vegetables in TM bowl by moving speed gently from 1 to 10 for 1 min.

Add milk, mix 10 seconds speed 1.

serve,garnished with reserved Asparagus tips and croutons if desired.

Hints/Tips from members

Cookie1 - I did the veggies and puréed them and set aside. Then I used the tmx to do the roux and added the veggies.
I've also made a cauliflower soup using this method. I used half a small cauliflower and left out the carrot. I blitzed the veggies and water and cooked them for about 15 minutes, then puréed it. I then made the roux as above and mixed the two. I also put in 3 teaspoons of chicken stock. It was delicious. 

LauraTO - made this GF by using GF flour and homemade almond milk, which substituted well.

[Zan]

Yum!! Have printed this, have some asparagus that needs eating.

[zebraa]

Yum. Thankyou. Just perfect. Will make this this week.

[cookie1]

That soup looks lovely.

[cookie1]

We had this tonight. It is lovely.  I did the veggies and puréed them and set aside. Then I used the tmx to do the roux and added the veggies.
                       

[kmw]

Looks yummy love asparagus soup, on my to try list

[cookie1]

It is so easy to make I should have done it before. 

[troupie]

This soup is sooo yummy and I put some in the freezer for when I wanted a (can of asparagus soup) for another recipe. I think I love all your recipes.

[achookwoman]

Cookie,  I think that is a good idea to make roux in the TMX.
Groupie,  glad you like it.  It is based on the Celery soup recipe,  which is one of my favourites.

[cookie1]

I made a cauliflower soup using this method tonight. I used half a small cauliflower and left out the carrot. I blitzed the veggies and water and cooked them for about 15 minutes, then puréed it. I then made the roux as above and mixed the two. I also put in 3 teaspoons of chicken stock. It was delicious.

[achookwoman]

Good thinking Cookie. 

[LauraTO]

Made this last night with fresh spring asparagus from the farmer's market.  It's in season here in Canada.  It turned out really well!  I had a friend for dinner and she couldn't believe the soup didn't have cream in it.

I added a spoonful of stock paste to the soup in the first stage but I won't do that next time, it really didn't need it. 
I did do the roux on the stove which turned out to be much easier than transferring things in and out of thermie, and it was nice to do it at the same time as the soup was cooking.  Oh, and I used GF flour and homemade almond milk, which substituted well.

The steamed tips are a must for presentation and for texture/taste as well. I didn't do croutons because I'm gluten free, so I didn't miss them!

[achookwoman]

Laura,  so glad you liked it.  Fresh Asparagus, yum.  We will have to wait for  another 3 months for local Asparagus.  There is a similar recipe here for Celery.  It is my daughters favourite.