The Foodie Files

It's been a soup-heavy winter here at Design Muse headquarters but I just can't help myself ladies and gents.  Among the things I've never said, "I wish I never ate that tasty bowl of soup" is right there near the top of the list...it just always leaves me feeling warm and comforted.  My only regret with this particular soup is that I didn't add it to my rotation earlier.  I came across the original recipe months ago and completely forgot about it until just last week.  Good heavens is it delicious.  While you'd absolutely swear it was cream based, it's not.  The richness comes straight from the veggies...a major score for calorie counters and healthy folks alike.  Try this, try this, and again I say....try this.

Ingredients: 

25-30 asparagus stalks, ends removed and discarded
Extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, peeled and chopped
2 sticks celery, trimmed and chopped
1 leek, trimmed and chopped
1 qt chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large, deep pot over a medium flame and coat the bottom with extra virgin olive oil.  Saute the chopped shallot, celery and leek for around 10 minutes, until soft and sweet.  Cut the tips off your asparagus and set aside for later.  Roughly chop remaining asparagus stalks.  

Add the chopped asparagus stalks and chicken broth and simmer for 20 minutes with a lid on.  Remove from the heat and blitz with a hand-held blender.  Season the soup bit by bit (this is important) with salt and pepper until just right.  Put the soup back on the heat, stir in the asparagus tips, bring back to the boil and simmer for a few more minutes until the tips have softened.

While the majority of the asparagus will blend into the body of the soup, there will be a few pieces in each bowl.  I quite enjoyed it, but if that's not your cup of tea you could always pull the handheld blender out for another go.  Seriously, I love this soup!  Let me know what you think if you get around to making it.