I love asparagus season. The appearance of the vibrant green stalks on market shelves means spring (I.E. Foodie Christmas) is just around the corner. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. (That last sentence should be sung in your best caroling voice.)

Asparagus is ridiculously easy to prepare. Rinse the stalks and then bend them until they break. They’ll magically snap exactly where the tough woody end and the tender spear meet. Isn’t nature glorious? Of course, the tender part is the best part, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw out the woody ends. They have just as much flavor and only need a little love to work it out of them. This creates a perfect opportunity to #StopFoodWaste. Keep your asparagus tips out of the trash and transform them into a wonderful cream of asparagus soup. It’s quick, easy, and delicious.

Tools

  • large heavy bottomed saute pan
  • fine mesh strainer
  • blender

Ingredients

  • 2 cups asparagus ends and trimmings
  • half an onion, small dice
  • 1 to 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup chicken stock or chicken jus
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tablespoon sour cream
  • cilantro fine chop for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus a teaspoon for garnish
  • pinch of lemon zest

Directions

  1. Trim the dry ends off your asparagus scraps. A small 1/2 inch cut should do it. You can reserve these for veggie stock.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons of EVOO to a large heavy bottomed sauce pan and cook the onions over medium heat until they start to sweat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, until fragrant.
  3. Add asparagus trimmings and sautee until tender. Try to develop a little char and caramelization on them so don’t be a pot stirrer!
  4. Add the chicken stock and enough cream to almost cover all the trimmings. Simmer for 15 minutes. I used chicken jus (the juices left in the pan after roasting a chicken) from a preparation earlier in the week. Just chill it over night and skim the fat off. Waste not, want not.
  5. Take your pan off the heat and adjust the seasoning.
  6. Add the broth and asparagus trimmings to a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Be very careful when blending hot liquids, and give steam an escape route so it doesn’t build pressure in your blender and blow everything up!
  7. Strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer. Serve your asparagus soup with a dollop of sour cream, fresh chopped cilantro, a pinch of lemon zest and a dash of extra virgin olive oil. BOOM! A wonderful, light meal made from something you were going to throw out! BUEN PROVECHO!

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