So when was the last time I gave you one of my favorite recipes? I haven’t a clue. But I thought it would be fun to share one of our favorite spring time recipes straight from our, um, garden.
And here it is. Part of it anyway. The asparagus part of it. Ta Da. I realize it looks a little sad, but that’s because we have already harvested our harvest of asparagus for the year. This is as close to organic as I get, ladies.
And here is the harvest. Not much. It wouldn’t impress my great grandma Martha. But it was enough to make my favorite spring-time soup. And it was enough to make a pretty picture, don’t you think?
This is a picture of my short cuts. With kids coming out of my ears, I’m so all about those. The short cuts, that is. You can be like Ma Ingalls and chop your own pet chicken’s head off, boil the feathers, pluck them off by hand, carve off the pieces and parts, and then boil the whole thing until the cows come home – thereby making your very own chicken stock filled with lotsa love and stuff.
Alternatively, you can drive to Costco and pick up some of these little puppies. I give ’em a big ole’ smooch before I pour them into the recipe. Instant, easy love. No theology necessary.
And while we’re on the subject of love and shortcuts, I love dried, chopped onion. It’s also at Costco, making life even more convenient. Love means never having to cry. Selah.
This recipe is adapted from Sue Gregg’s Soups and Muffins cookbook. Sue was all the rage back when I was a new wife, and there wasn’t an Internet anywhere in sight. Back when recipes came from mothers and mothers-in-law and real, solid cookbooks that you bought in the store or via mail-order. That’s how I got my collection of Sue Gregg books.
I say I’ve adapted it, because I have. Instead of 3/4 teaspoon of salt, I add a WHOLE teaspoon (and you could really add more if you wanted). I also use two potatoes instead of one. I also changed the name from Creamy Asparagus Soup to Cream of Asparagus Soup – making it totally original and totally mine. Ahem. So let’s rock and roll:
Cream of Asparagus Soup
Feeds 1 starving cat OR 4 hungry men OR 6 average women OR 8 normal kids—or 3,768 picky ones.
1. Pour 2 cups of water or vegetable stock or chicken stock into a soup pot.
2. Add 2 cups of fresh or frozen asparagus.
3. Add 2 unpeeled, diced potatoes.
4. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion—or be like me and sprinkle in a tablespoon of dried onion.
5. Add 1 celery rib, chopped (I guess she calls for a whole cup of celery, but I’m going for cream of asparagus here, folks—not cream of celery.)
Simmer until vegetables are tender (not mushy)—about 10 minutes.
6. Puree soup in blender and pour back into soup pot. I use a Vitamix. Before I had one, I used a regular blender and really, REALLY hated it. I had hot soup all over me on more than one occasion, and that type of blender doesn’t puree quite the same. But it works in a pinch, and I know what it is like to be pinched.
7. Puree in blender:
- 2 cups hot milk (warm is fine – and cream is better. Try doing half milk, half cream!)
- 2 T. butter
- 2 T flour (she calls for 1, but 2 makes it thicker. Try 3!)
- 1 t. salt
8. Blend the milk mixture into the soup in the pot and stir until hot and thick.
Can I just give you a little tip about what makes good cooking? I mean, if you know this and incorporate it into your cooking, you could become famous. I never did. But you could. Here it is:
1. Fat
2. Salt
That’s it. Free of charge. And in light of that fact, I think a little more salt and a little more butter and a little more heavy cream makes this a little more better. But you can experiment around and decide for yourself.
This is my youngest eating with gusto. I crush saltine crackers into his soup (mine too, but for different reasons) to make it thicker and less likely to go all over the floor.
Question: Do you grow asparagus? What is your favorite way to prepare and eat it? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
I love asparagus but hubby, well, nope! He will *taste* it if I cook it but not without screwing his face up like he just took a bite of poo. Anyway, looks like a comfort-type recipe that I may adapt for our… MY… dietary needs. I’m impressed that you grow your own. I haven’t decided where I want to commit to a 20-year garden bed.
YUM!! I’ve recently discovered that I like asparagus. I’ll have to try this. And Sue Gregg’s blender batter pancakes/waffles are the best. Except that I need 2 blenders to satisfy my hungry brood…
Um this looks delicious! And my hubby is the same way, the only way I have made asparagus is creamed on toast and he tolerates it because he knows it’s good for him, but he would much rather have meat and potatoes. Maybe we will try soup with a yummy side for him as well
I/we have never grown asparagus, but the pictures of your garden make me tempted to try it! I would love to see more photos of your garden and hear your methods. I like your boxes — and it appears that you are using grass clippings sort of like mulch, to keep the weeds away, I presume? (Am I right?) My knees and neck won’t permit me to do much weeding and maintenance anymore (I sound like an old woman!) so this looks good!
My favorite way to prepare asparagus is sautéed in olive oil and butter in a skillet (8-9 minutes on medium heat). Yum!
You know…the garden is Joe’s happy place. He does use grass clippings that way. I’m not a gardener. Well – I do go out and pick stuff sometimes, but even with the picking, I often just send my kids out to get stuff. I recently bought some indoor plants about a month or so ago, and they are all looking quite sickly. I try not to kill them – but I just don’t get plants. They hate me.
This looks SO. GOOD. Like I am currently shopping for a blender just so I can make this. One question: do you think this would freeze well? I just joined a frozen dinner club and I know exactly nothing about successfully freezing meals.
I’m not sure about the freezer thing. It’s got cream in it. I’m not sure if that freezes well or not? I’m not a freezer gal. Anyone else want to chime in here?