Fwd: ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH CHERVIL

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Serves 6. Cooking asparagus uncovered helps to preserve its color. If you

can't find chervil, substitute half as much flat-leaf parsley.

 

2 pounds asparagus

 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

 

1 cup thinly sliced spring onion or leeks, white and pale green part only

 

1/3 cup Arborio or other short-grain rice

 

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or more as needed

 

1/4 cup minced fresh chervil

 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Whisked creme fraiche for garnish

 

TRIM asparagus by holding each spear in both hands and bending gently; it

will break naturally at the point at which the spear becomes tough. Repeat

with remaining spears. You should have about 1 1/4 pounds trimmed asparagus.

Discard tough ends.

 

MELT butter in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Add spring onion or

leeks and saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add asparagus, rice and

stock. Bring to a simmer. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook

until the asparagus and rice are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the

chervil and remove from the heat.

 

PUREE soup in batches in a blender or in the pot with an immersion blender.

Return to a clean saucepan and reheat. Thin if necessary with additional

stock. Season with salt and pepper.

 

DIVIDE soup among warm bowls, garnishing each with a drizzle of creme

fraiche (drizzle it directly from the whisk or from a squeeze bottle).

 

 

A Few Pointers

 

THE STOCK

 

.. Homemade chicken or vegetable stock is best. Make a big batch on the

weekend and freeze it in quart containers.

 

THE FOUNDATION

 

.. Lay your aromatic foundation: In your chosen fat, saute your choice of

chopped onion, shallot, leek, spring onion, green garlic and/or garlic. Cook

until softened.

 

THE VEGETABLES

 

.. Add vegetables, trimmed and chopped. Figure on about 1 1/2 pounds of

vegetables to 4 cups of stock. If you add a thickener like rice, you'll need

more stock.. Mix complementary vegetables: peas and turnips; carrots and

celery root; spinach and fennel. If you have leftover cooked vegetables that

would harmonize, add them near the end of the cooking time. They only need

to heat through.

 

.. Green vegetables such as asparagus and peas will keep their color better

if you cook them uncovered.

 

THE TECHNIQUE

 

.. Better to make your puree too thick than too thin. You can always adjust a

thick soup with stock.

 

.. A blender does a better job of pureeing than a food processor, although a

processor will work. When pureeing, put the solids into the blender jar or

work bowl first, then add just enough liquid to make a thick puree. With the

motor running, add more liquid until the soup is the consistency you like.

 

SUBSTITUTIONS

 

.. A little half-and-half, cream or creme fraiche can add richness and body

but is rarely essential. If you are fat-conscious, leave it out.

 

.. I prefer the flavor of butter in most of these soups, but you can

substitute olive oil. -- Janet Fletcher, San Francisco Chronicle --

 

 

 

 

 

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