Asparagus Soup

Name: Asparagus Soup
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Soup
Ingredients: The ends of three bunches of asparagus; 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil; One Medium onion; One head of garlic; 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth; 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil; 2 Teaspoons of Kosher salt; 1 teaspoon of pepper; 1/3 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt; Juice of half a lemon

Asparagus season is typically from late May to June. Nothing has me more excited in my Ely Hilltop garden than seeing those glorious spears pop up and out of the ground. The exact timing of asparagus season varies depending on the location, as asparagus is a cool-weather crop that needs a certain number of hours of cold weather to grow. In the United States, asparagus season starts in California in late February or early March, and then moves northward as the weather warms up. In the Midwest, asparagus season typically starts in May and so while I am waiting for my shoots I am buying California asparagus for this asparagus soup.

If you want to enjoy the best asparagus possible, buy it during its peak season. You’ll be glad you did!

Here are some tips for buying and storing asparagus:

Look for asparagus that is firm and has a bright green color. Avoid asparagus that is wilted or has brown spots.
Store asparagus in the refrigerator in a glass of water. It will keep for up to 4-6 days.
To prepare asparagus, snap the ends off and freeze them until you have enough to make this soup!

Asparagus Soup

Yield: 2

This soup recipe uses all the asparagus ends you snap off and save in your freezer. Ideally, a Vitamix works best here to blend the soup but an immersion blender can also work.

Ingredients

The ends of three bunches of asparagus
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
One Medium onion
One head of garlic
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1/3 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
Juice of half a lemon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400
Arrange asparagus ends on a sheet pan and toss with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper.
Cut garlic head, peeled whole onion in half, and wrap individually in foil with 1 Tablespoon of Olive oil in each packet. Place the sealed packet on a sheet pan with the asparagus and roast alongside
Roast for 40 minutes
Squeeze half the garlic head (reserve the other half for another use), roasted onions, and asparagus in a blender with broth. Add yogurt and lemon juice and blend up all the stems until smooth.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Garnish with croutons, parmesan cheese or bacon bits or crisped shallots