Being a perennial vegetable, asparagus was always the first thing to pop up when I had a home garden. As soon as the snow disappeared and the days became longer and warmer, the first shoots would become evident. It was always a thrill to find them after a long, cold, and snowy winter, and before most of the vegetable garden plants could be planted.
Scallions and leeks are two of the other vegetables in this soup. (Potatoes are the fourth one.) Scallions are a Spring thing as well. Leeks are a cool season crop that is harvested from late Summer through early Spring. Asparagus, scallions, and leeks provide the color and flavor for the soup which gets a brightening boost from a squeeze of lemon. The potato is added to thicken the vegetable amalgamation. This is a great choice for a Spring soup!
Asparagus & Leek Soup
Asparagus & Leek Soup (adapted from bojongourmet.com) Total Time Required: about 1 hour, Prep Time: 30 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds asparagus
- 3 – 4 scallions
- 3 medium leeks (about 12 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large yellow potato (6 ounces), peeled and diced
- lemon juice, to taste
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
- zest of 1 small lemon
Directions:
Fill a pot with 2 quarts of water and bring it to a boil. Snap the woody ends of the stems off of the asparagus spears and discard them. Keeping the heads intact, slice the stems into 1″ sections. Blanche the asparagus in the simmering water for 1-2 minutes, until they are bright green and crisp-tender.
Blanche the asparagus.
Strain the asparagus through a colander, reserving the asparagus water. Place the asparagus pieces in a large bowl and rinse them under cool water to stop the cooking. Set the asparagus and the reserved cooking water aside.
Strain the asparagus, reserving the asparagus water.
Trim the root ends off of the scallions and leeks. Slice the white and leafy green parts of the scallions crosswise into thin rounds. Place them in a large bowl. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, then slice the white and light green parts crosswise into 1/4″ thick half-moons. Place the sliced leeks in the bowl with the scallions, fill the bowl with cool water, and separate the rings, swishing to release any sandy dirt. Scoop the leeks and scallions out of the water, drain them in a colander, and rinse them one more time.
Chop & thoroughly rinse the leeks and scallions.
Melt the butter and olive oil together in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and scallions and sauté until they are bright green and tender, about 5 – 10 minutes.
Sauté the leeks and scallions.
Add the salt, potato, and enough of the reserved asparagus cooking water to cover the vegetables, about 4 – 6 cups. Bring the water to a boil, then cover the pot and simmer until the potato is very tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the salt and potato and cover with the reserved asparagus water.
Remove the lid and add the asparagus, reserving several of the heads for garnish.
Add the asparagus to the pot.
Puree the soup with an immersion blender, thinning with more asparagus water as needed.
Blend the soup with an immersion blender.
Stir in the juice of half a lemon, taste for salt, adding more salt or lemon if desired.
Add lemon juice to the soup.
Stir together the yogurt and lemon zest.
Combine the yogurt and lemon zest.
Serve the soup in bowls with a dollop of the lemon yogurt and a couple of asparagus tips. The soup will keep in the fridge for up to three days.
Serve the soup with the yogurt and reserved asparagus tips.
It’s finally Spring!! ~Linda
Asparagus & Leek Soup (adapted from bojongourmet.com) Total Time Required: about 1 hour, Prep Time: 30 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds asparagus
- 3 – 4 scallions
- 3 medium leeks (about 12 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large yellow potato (6 ounces), peeled and diced
- lemon juice, to taste
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
- zest of 1 small lemon
Directions:
Fill a pot with 2 quarts of water and bring it to a boil. Snap the woody ends of the stems off of the asparagus spears and discard them. Keeping the heads intact, slice the stems into 1″ sections. Blanche the asparagus in the simmering water for 1-2 minutes, until they are bright green and crisp-tender. Strain the asparagus through a colander, reserving the asparagus water. Place the asparagus pieces in a large bowl and rinse them under cool water to stop the cooking. Set the asparagus and the reserved cooking water aside.
Trim the root ends off of the scallions and leeks. Slice the white and leafy green parts of the scallions crosswise into thin rounds. Place them in a large bowl. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, then slice the white and light green parts crosswise into 1/4″ thick half-moons. Place the sliced leeks in the bowl with the scallions, fill the bowl with cool water, and separate the rings, swishing to release any sandy dirt. Scoop the leeks and scallions out of the water, drain them in a colander, and rinse them one more time.
Melt the butter and olive oil together in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and scallions and sauté until they are bright green and tender, about 5 – 10 minutes. Add the salt, potato, and enough of the reserved asparagus cooking water to cover the vegetables, about 4 – 6 cups. Bring the water to a boil, then cover the pot and simmer until the potato is very tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and add the asparagus, reserving several of the heads for garnish. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, thinning with more asparagus water as needed. Stir in the juice of half a lemon, taste for salt, adding more salt or lemon if desired.
Stir together the yogurt and lemon zest. Serve the soup in bowls with a dollop of the lemon yogurt and a couple of asparagus tips. The soup will keep in the fridge for up to three days.