Along with the sunshine and the excitement of slightly warmer mornings, spring brings an abundance of delights for all lovers of fresh flavors. From green onions and garlic, wild garlic, tender young spinach, and crisp dandelion leaves to new potatoes, the market stalls become increasingly generous, offering us a bounty of spring delicacies. May, however, surpasses them all by bringing us yet another joy: bright green asparagus, so tempting that it’s impossible to resist! At least for me, it is. So, I didn’t hesitate for a second when I received Electrolux’s invitation to cook with May’s secret ingredient, asparagus, at Chef Parade.
By the end of an evening filled with laughter, the star of the night—asparagus—brought us all together around a table full of delicious dishes, but more importantly, full of shared stories and laughter. Now, in turn, I’m sharing those stories with you.
I must admit, when I heard that the secret ingredient for May was asparagus, I was overjoyed because it’s one of my absolute favorite ingredients. Like Pavlov’s dog, when it came time to choose the recipe I would prepare, the first thing that came to mind was my ritualistic asparagus cream soup, which I enthusiastically make every spring.
In case it’s useful, I’ll share the recipe for 10 servings below.
Ingredients:
2 bunches of green asparagus
2 bunches of green onions
2 white halves of a leek stalk
2.5 liters of chicken broth
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 small cubes of butter
For serving:
1 log of goat cheese
10 quail eggs
Preparation:
Wash and clean the asparagus, green onions, and leek. Set aside the asparagus tips (they will be used for garnish), and remove the tough ends of the remaining stalks, as they are bitter.
Chop the asparagus, green onions, and leek. In a pot, heat about 4 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the vegetables until the onions soften, the leek becomes translucent, and the green color of the asparagus intensifies. During this time, stir the vegetables vigorously with a wooden spoon.
After about 5 minutes, pour the chicken broth over the vegetables and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it reaches the first boil, reduce the heat and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes.
After the cooking time is up, let the soup rest for a bit, then blend the vegetables using an immersion blender until everything transforms into a creamy soup. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer the soup for another 5–7 minutes.
For serving, ladle the soup into bowls, placing a slice of goat cheese in the center of each. On top of the goat cheese, place a fried quail egg in each bowl.
Heat a pan, melt a small cube of butter, and sauté the remaining asparagus tips for about 5 minutes. Use them as garnish to finish off each bowl of soup.
Here’s how my soup turned out, prepared this way at the Electrolux Cooking Session:
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