Asparagus Vegetable Soup

Asparagus Vegetable Soup

Asparagus season is here! This hearty green soup offers a new way to enjoy this perennial favorite.

Prep and cook time: 20 Minutes
Serves: 4 - 6

8 cups chicken stock
2 TB olive oil
1 pound fresh asparagus, cleaned, woody section of the stem snapped off, and sliced into 2-inch sections
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 large stalk of celery, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup prosciutto, diced for garnish (optional)
Sour cream for garnish (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the asparagus, onion, carrot, and celery until tender, about 5 minutes.

Working in batches, place roughly equal amounts of broth and sautéed vegetables in a blender, leaving plenty of room at the top to avoid overflow. Put the cap on the blender and blend on high for 1 minute, or until a creamy consistency is achieved. Pour into a soup pot or large saucepan, and continue blending the remaining broth and vegetables. Stir in salt and pepper to taste, and heat to just bubbling, stirring occasionally.

Divide soup into serving bowls, topping each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of diced prosciutto.

A thick crusty slice of sourdough bread is the perfect “tool” for cleaning up the last bit of soup left in the bowl.

By Tod Dimmick, cookbook author and editor of www.tastingtimes.com