Soup -- Creamy, Low-fat, Asparagus Soup (hot or cold)
Submitted by dvdlee on August 27, 2004 at 9:53 am

DESCRIPTION
Soup -- Creamy, Low-fat, Asparagus Soup (hot or cold)

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Misc. Recipes & Requests

INSTRUCTIONS
Around 4 good-sized servings.

You MUST have a blender to make this soup -- a food processor, food mill or sieve will just not work. So -- if you have a blender (that you may also use for smoothies, frozen margaritas, etc.) this is great.

This is a very flavorful soup since there is so much asparagus and not that much dairy -- just enough to add an element of richness. By pureeing EVERYTHING together the soup is fairly thick (the potato helps thicken this as well). You can see where this is low-fat!

1 & 1/2 lb. fresh asparagus
1 small onion
2 teaspoons olive oil (plain, not extra-virgin)
1 cup liquid (any mixture of chicken stock, water, or vegetable stock -- I use all chicken broth)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 small Idaho Potato
1 cup regular whole milk
Salt & Pepper
Optional garnishes: asparagus tips, grated carrots, low-fat plain yogurt, parmesan cheese, finely diced red or yellow bell pepper

Rinse asparagus. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces. (I save a few tips to add to the soup as a garnish). Peel and dice potato into small pieces (1/4" dice). Finely dice onion.

Saute onion in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until onion is lightly brown. Add liquid, salt, diced potato and asparagus. Bring to a boil and then cover pan tightly and simmer on low for 30 minutes.

You CAN then take this hot mixture and puree it in the blender while still hot. I usually let it cool for 30 minutes, then puree on high in the blender in batches -- but I don't like to puree hot liquids in the blender for my safety! Puree the soup very finely -- let the blender run a good while until all of the asparagus fiber disappears and the liquid is very smooth.

Take the pureed asparagus and slowly stir in the milk, then stir in the mustard. (Use more mustard if you like -- or use powdered Coleman's mustard -- but start will small amounts of the mustard powder!!). Adjust salt & pepper (I like to use green peppercorns for the slightly different taste.)

The soup needs to sit a while so the air that was incorporated into the asparagus puree has a chance to escape. This soup can be served hot or cold. You can garnish with any of the above ideas (I like to place grated carrots in a ring in the bowl, place a dollop of yogurt in the center and place 2 asparagus tips on top of the yogurt.)

This is also one of the fastest & easiest soups I know!