Name: Chef John's Cream of Asparagus Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Butter - 2 tablespoons; Onion, finely diced - 1; Salt to taste - 1; Chicken broth - 4 cups; Water - 2 cups; Fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces - 2 pounds; Cayenne pepper, or to taste (Optional) - 1 pinch; Freshly ground black pepper to taste - 1 pinch; Ground nutmeg - 1 pinch; Heavy whipping cream (Optional) - ½ cup; Heavy whipping cream (Optional) - ¼ cup; Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese - 1 tablespoon; Lemon zest (Optional) - 1 teaspoon; Cayenne pepper (Optional) - 1 pinch

Recipe information

Cooking:

10 min.

Servings per container:

Source:

More details

Ingredients for - Chef John's Cream of Asparagus Soup

1. Butter - 2 tablespoons

2. Onion, finely diced - 1

3. Salt to taste - 1

4. Chicken broth - 4 cups

5. Water - 2 cups

6. Fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces - 2 pounds

7. Cayenne pepper, or to taste (Optional) - 1 pinch

8. Freshly ground black pepper to taste - 1 pinch

9. Ground nutmeg - 1 pinch

10. Heavy whipping cream (Optional) - ½ cup

11. Heavy whipping cream (Optional) - ¼ cup

12. Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese - 1 tablespoon

13. Lemon zest (Optional) - 1 teaspoon

14. Cayenne pepper (Optional) - 1 pinch

How to cook deliciously - Chef John's Cream of Asparagus Soup

1. Stage

Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add minced onion and salt; cook and stir until onion is soft and golden, about 10 minutes.

2. Stage

Pour chicken broth and water into the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 minutes.

3. Stage

Place asparagus pieces in simmering broth. Cook, stirring occasionally until asparagus is just tender and still bright green, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Stage

Use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth, about 3 minutes.

5. Stage

For a finer texture, strain soup through a mesh strainer. Return strained soup to the pot and place on the stove.

6. Stage

Turn heat to low. Season with cayenne pepper, black pepper, and nutmeg. Adjust salt to taste. Whisk 1/2 cup cream into soup.

7. Stage

Place 1/4 cup cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Whisk until frothy and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

8. Stage

Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle a spoonful of Parmigiano-Reggiano-lemon cream on top of each serving and swirl to form a random design.

9. Stage

Sprinkle with a pinch of lemon zest and cayenne pepper, if desired. Damian