We had our Market Days this past weekend. I had a few pre-orders for our Bounty Baskets and Prep Central Meals. Bounty Baskets are our version of a CSA Basket, but with more selections. We allow for a vegetarian basket, and even have one that's just meat, with many selections in between, for any size of family. My thought was, this gives one no excuse to not participate. A Prep Central meal is composed of a meat from our market vendors along with the other components to create a healthy, balanced dinner for two, without waste.
Anyway, as usual, I overestimated what I would need, as far as produce. There is no way to tell if anyone other than those who ordered will actually show up. As we're still new on the scene, it's taking some effort getting the word out
By the end of the weekend, the asparagus was getting pretty unhappy, to say the least. It reached near 90 degrees this weekend...our Spring is over! And there were some broccoli crowns begging for a home, too! That means soup to the rescue!
First in line for rescue...asparagus! Asparagus Soup hasn't always been a favorite of mine! I had to find a better recipe! And I did! And, now it is...a favorite of mine, that is! C'mon along, I'll show you! It's amazingly good!
Creamy Asparagus & Potato Soup
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4# asparagus, cut into chunks, save the pretty tops
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano leaf
1 teaspoon parsley
2 small Yukon gold potatoes, bite size dice
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
4 tablespoon heavy cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 oz. combined Velveeta and sharp cheddar
Fresh cracked black pepper, to finish
All ready? This is really fast and easy...don't be scared! Come along, I'll show you just how easy this is! This recipe makes a quart and a nice serving extra. I packed the quart up to sell, and ate the small bowl for lunch! It truly is a good soup!
I started by chopping the asparagus, saving the pretty tips. Those will be added at the end, for garnish, just cooked barely enough to soften them. Steam them in your microwave, just several seconds will do...set the tips aside for the finish.
Next, the rest of the veggies...beginning with our flavor agents, onion, celery and carrots. Finely mince about a teaspoon of fresh garlic, set it aside for just a moment. All the BEST soups start with these base ingredients! Keep them on hand, and you'll always be ready for anything...well, almost anything!
And, as most creamy soups go, we start by sauteing these veggies in butter. That's never a bad start! Just a few minutes, maybe five, till they start to soften. I do this over medium heat, as I'm not looking to caramelize the veggies, just to soften them, and bring the nuttiness of the butter to the meal.
Add the garlic, saute a minute more, until you can just smell the fragrance from the garlic melding with the rest.
I tucked the tips in a separate bowl so they wouldn't accidentally get included in the fray! I did the microwave softening in a glass bowl...they say it's not healthy to microwave in just any plastic...not sure if these are bpa free, or not...so, we err on the side of caution. While the aromatics are sauteing, I cut up the rest of the line-up, so everything was ready.
Toss in the cut up asparagus, toss in the butter veggies, to make sure they're all coated with that rich delicious flavor that only butter can give.
In goes the stock! I used our slow cooked chicken bone stock, as it's full of flavor and healthy nutrients. If you use a store bought stock in the box, you will need to season more heavily, than if you use an already well seasoned soup base.
The potatoes go in next...give it all a stir.
Our oregano and parsley go in next, both dried. Crumble them with your fingertips to release their essential oils and fragrance. Pop the cover on the soup and let it come up to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch into the heavy cream. Whisk well to get rid of any pesky lumps that may want to mess up your pretty soup! Yes, I did make a mess on the counter...I do that frequently! :D
Carefully, take about two cups of the soup, getting quite a bit of the vegetable components in there, and ladle it into your blender. With the lid cracked, to release hot steam, and a kitchen towel covering the lid, to protect your hands, puree the contents. Always start on low, pulsing, and go higher. Accidents happen when you try to start out on high!
Pour the pureed soup back into the pot. Don't splash it...it's still piping hot! Yes...I did! And, yes, it WAS!
The cornstarch and cream slurry goes in next. Whisk until it comes up to a simmer, at which point it will start to thicken.
I added the processed cheese first, got it melted in before adding the sharp cheddar. There are a lot of purists out there, who decry the value of processed cheese. To them, I say, 'Pish-tosh!" Besides melting beautifully, without the risk of 'breaking', it allows the soup to reheat beautifully. I've done the soups with just full fat cheddar, and they do go grainy, even when grating from a fresh block. The addition of the processed cheese somehow buffers that, and even an asiago will meld beatifully, if it has a friend in Velveeta.
You'll end up with a beautifully creamy soup! Wasn't that easy?? I saved three of the tips for my bowl, and had slipped the rest into the soup, to go into the jarred quart.
Ready to go to it's new home, our Creamy Asparagus & Potato Soup will be a sure-fire hit! For those who claim to 'hate' asparagus, I'm telling you...TRY THIS!
Ahoy, matey! Soup on the horizon!! Let's go eat! Till next time, my friends, Steem on!
