Roasted Asparagus Soup
Roasting the asparagus before blending it with tarragon and chicken broth provides a deep, rich flavor. This is a non-dairy soup and that can also be vegetarian if you use vegetable broth. Accompany your soup with some toasted sourdough bread for a hearty meal. Asparagus is fiber and nutrient rich. Half a cup provides 57% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin K, essential for bone health. It also provides substantial amounts of folate, vitamin A and C. In addition, asparagus is rich in flavonoids, antioxidants that combat aging and chronic disease.
Makes: 4 servings
Time to cook: 40 minutes
Ingredients
· 1½ pounds thin asparagus (if only thick spears are available, peel them first)
· 2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
· 10 fresh tarragon leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
· 4 cups low sodium chicken or other stock
· Salt and pepper
Cooking Instructions
1. Break off bottom part of each asparagus stalk and discard. Coarsely chop the rest of stalks, leaving 12 or 16 of the flower ends whole. Put butter or oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add asparagus and tarragon, raise heat to high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Remove whole flower ends; set aside.
2. Add stock and some salt and pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until asparagus is very tender, about 10 minutes. Cool at least a few minutes. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat; add the walnuts and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just golden, about 1-2 minutes. Pour mixture over the asparagus and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Pour soup into a blender, in batches if necessary, and carefully purée. Return to pan, and, over medium-low heat, reheat gently. When soup is hot, adjust seasoning. Put 3 or 4 asparagus flower ends in each of 4 bowls; ladle in soup and serve.
Nutrition per serving
399 calories; 28 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 541 milligrams sodium.
Recipe by Mark Bittman, The NY Times
