Soupe d’aspèrges

A Soup of Château de Verzat
“Papa inhaled the scent of soupe d'aspèrges, looked up, and blinked. His curving hairline and whiskers made his face a heart shape, and his narrow nose and round eyes gave him the appearance of a confused loveable bird.” Geneviève, Her Own Revolution

Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds asparagus, washed and dried

  • 1 large shallot, diced

  • 2–4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

  • Sea salt and white pepper

  • 1–1 ½ quarts chicken or vegetable stock

  • Dash of cayenne pepper

  • Teaspoon of chopped fresh marjoram

  • Chopped fresh parsley

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425F
  • Break off woody stems of asparagus spears and discard them.
  • Rinse spears. Chop spears into one-inch pieces and allow to dry on towel.
  • Dice the shallot.
  • Sprinkle olive oil on bottom of roasting pan, add asparagus and shake the pan to distribute the oil.
  • Roast for 20 minutes at 425, stirring and shaking every five to ten minutes.
  • Add chopped shallot, stir, roast another 10 minutes or until cooked through with some browned spots.
  • When spears are fully cooked, remove pan from oven and allow vegetables to cool.
  • Add cool vegetables to food processor and process, adding a bit of stock, until smooth.
    Add as much stock as you prefer for the consistency and texture of soup you like.
  • Place mixture in heavy-bottomed pan, add as much stock as you like and heat on low.
    (The soup will continue to thicken as it heats.)
  • Add salt and a few grinds of white pepper to taste.
  • Add cayenne pepper and marjoram (if using) to taste.
  • Sprinkle parsley on each serving.

Notes

  • This recipe serves 4–6 and may be doubled or tripled for a crowd. It freezes well.
  • © Debra Borchert Author, Her Own Revolution
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