Asparagus & Green Garlic Soup
Ingredients:
2 pounds (about 2 bunches) asparagus
5 large stalks (4 ounces) green garlic
1 yellow onion. diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 large potato, peeled and diced
lemon juice, to taste
Directions:
- Fill a pot with 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Snap the woody ends of the stems from the asparagus spears and discard; they will naturally break at the right spot. Keep the heads intact and slice the stems. Blanche the asparagus in the simmering water for 1-2 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Strain through a colander and into a large bowl, reserving the asparagus water. Rinse the asparagus under cool water to stop the cooking and set aside.
- Trim the root ends from the green garlic. Slice the green garlic (leafy green parts included) crosswise into thin rounds and place the rounds in a large bowl to remove any excess dirt. Drain.
- Melt the olive oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and green garlic and sauté until bright green and tender, 5-10 minutes. Add the salt, potato, and enough of the reserved asparagus cooking water to cover the vegetables, 4-6 cups. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and simmer until the potato is very tender, 10 minutes.
- Add the asparagus, reserving several pretty heads for garnish, and puree the soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a regular blender, thinning with more asparagus water as needed. Stir in the juice of half a lemon, taste for salt, adding more salt or lemon as needed. Garnish with asparagus tips.
