Asparagus Soup – Crema de Espárragos
Spring is definitely in the air and with it comes one of my favourite vegetables – asparagus. Although asparagus is a pricier vegetable, it is so versatile that I can’t help snapping it up whenever it’s on offer. Roasted, steamed or made into this deliciously creamy soup, it never fails to impress.
In Spain, this type of blended, silky soft soup is called a crema. These soups often contain dairy products to give them richness and flavour. However, our soup gets its fresh green flavour from a simple, thrifty vegetable stock and its creaminess from potato. Who needs cream when you have green veggie goodness! Serve with croutons and fried asparagus tips for a knock-out springtime lunch or elegant first course.
What are your favourite asparagus recipes? Which springtime soups help you to celebrate the changing seasons? Let us know in the comments below.
Ingredients (serves 4)
Around 20 asparagus spears
2 leeks
3 spring onions
1 medium potato
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (we love this oil)
Salt
Pepper
Slices of baguette (roughly two per person)
Instructions
- Wash the leeks and spring onions well, so that no soil remains in their outer leaves. Remove the green parts of the leeks and spring onions and the hard ends of the asparagus stalks (hold near the end of the stalk and lightly apply pressure until the stalk breaks). Cut the potato into quarters. Place the vegetables in a large saucepan and cover with 2 litres of water. Bring the boil, cover and cook for 2o minutes.
- Cut the tips off the asparagus and put aside. Finely slice the remaining stalks and the white parts of the leeks and spring onions. Place in a saucepan with 3tbsp olive oil and saute until soft.
- After the stock has cooked for 20 minutes, remove from the heat and strain though a sieve. Add 1.3 litres of stock and the cooked pieces of potato from the stock to the vegetables and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat.
- While the soup is finishing, fry the asparagus tips in 1tbsp olive oil until slightly crunchy. Toast the slices of bread and cut into small pieces. Finish the soup by blending with an immersion blender. Serve hot, garnished with croutons, asparagus tips and a dash of olive oil (if you like).
