So as always when I am preparing a new dish that might not become one of Mr. Cs favorites (this being a green vegetable dish after all), I offer McDonald’s as an alternative. And last evening was no exception. But McDonald’s wasn’t even remotely considered after the first bite. This soup was absolutely delicious. And with homemade bread on the side, it made for an especially wonderful meal. (Recipe for Sourdough Rye Bread with Onion and Dill to follow.)

And of great importance, I had been able to use a bunch of asparagus that really needed to be consumed. Fresh veggies have a pretty good shelf life, but in our last delivery from a local organic farm, I received 3 bunches of asparagus. (1 bunch in our regular veggie and salad box, and 2 that I had requested be added to our order. What was I thinking?)

One bunch I had already roasted with olive oil, salt, pepper and Parmesan. (see recipe below) And I know, everyone knows how to bake asparagus. But its asparagus time in the city! So I felt some of you might appreciate a little ”kick in the pants” reminder of how easy and fast asparagus is to prepare. And since the recipes below (if you can even call them that) are terribly simple, I thought I would include them along with this soup recipe. Think of it as your bonus for today. And don’t we all need a little bonus right now, or am I the only one going slightly batty from being quarantined? (That was simply a rhetorical question. You need not address the issue.)

Anyway, back to this delightful soup recipe I found on the onceuponachef.com site. It’s super easy to prepare. Or should I say – supper easy to prepare. Works either way. And the best part. It’s not loaded with scads of nasty, fatty calories even though it’s creamy and rich tasting. And isn’t that lovely!     

So as always, love, peace, and happy cooking to all.

And no offense to McDonalds. It’s just kind of a running joke between Mr. C. and me that if a new recipe doesn’t work out, there’s always McDonalds. And God bless them – each and every one of their golden arches! Always a clean bathroom and predictable food to boot!

1 bunch asparagus, bottom ends peeled and the last 1 inch discarded

2 T. unsalted butter

1 med. yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 c. chicken broth

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garnish

1 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. heavy cream

¼ c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus a little more for garnish

garlic croutons (see recipe below)

Melt butter in a large covered pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not allow to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.   

Cut the asparagus into ½-inch pieces. Add to the pan along with the chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the onion and asparagus are very tender. Purée the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth.

Bring the soup back to a simmer and stir in the lemon juice, heavy cream, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust seasoning. To thicken the soup, allow it to simmer, uncovered, until the desired consistency is reached. (I simmered mine for 10 minutes.)

Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each bowl with garlic croutons, freshly ground black pepper, and a tad bit of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Note: Parmesan Crackers (recipe on site) would also be great with this soup.

Garlic Croutons:

1 T. butter or extra virgin olive oil (or a combination)

2-3 c. cubed crusty, chewy bread

granulated garlic

Melt butter or olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add bread cubes and slowly sauté until crunchy and browned. (This takes upward of 45 minutes, so plan to make croutons when you are working on other dishes and are close at hand.) Stir frequently. When the bread cubes are golden brown and crunchy, lightly sprinkle with granulated garlic. Cool and store in an airtight container.

BONUS ASPARAGUS RECIPES

Baked Parmesan Asparagus:

fresh asparagus, trimmed, washed, and dried with paper towels

extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

finely grated Parmesan cheese

Place the asparagus spears on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil then massage with finger tips to make sure the asparagus is completely coated in the oil. Then lightly sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes in a preheated 450 degree oven or until the asparagus is tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle with as much Parmesan as you want. Serve immediately.

Baked Prosciutto Asparagus:

16 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed, washed, and dried as well as possible

8 slices prosciutto, cut in half

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

Wrap each asparagus spear with prosciutto, starting at the bottom, and spiraling upward. Place the wrapped spears on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle very lightly with pepper. Bake for 5 minutes in a preheated 450 degree oven. Remove from oven and carefully turn each spear.  Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until asparagus is tender and the prosciutto is crisp. Serve immediately.