Asparagus Soup

How to prepare Asparagus Soup? In this article i will show you the best recipe for this unique soup. Thick asparagus spears can be stringy; make sure the ones you buy are only about as wide as a pencil. If not, pare them down with a vegetable peeler. There's no cream in this soup; the potato does the job. Makes 4 servings (can easily be doubled). Here are ingredients and directions:

INGREDIENTS :

·  Nonstick spray

·  2 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

·  1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil

·  1 medium onion, chopped

·  2 garlic cloves, slivered

·  12 ounces Yukon gold or other yellow fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch dice

·  2 teaspoons chopped parsley leaves or 1 teaspoon dried parsley

·  1 teaspoon stemmed thyme or 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme

·  4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth

·  1 pound plus 4 ounces (20 ounces) thin asparagus spears, peeled and cut into 1-inch segments

·  1⁄2 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste

·  1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, preferably white pepper

·  1 small scallion, green part only, thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS :

1. Spray a large chef 's knife with nonstick spray, then chop the prosciutto into small pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium heat; add 1 teaspoon canola oil, then the prosciutto. Fry until crispy, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

2. Heat a large saucepan or small Dutch oven over medium heat. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, then add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 20 seconds.

3. Add the potatoes, parsley, and thyme; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Pour in the broth, scrape up any browned bits on the pan's bottom, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly for 15 minutes.

4. Add the asparagus, cover, and continue simmering until the potatoes and asparagus are quite soft when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper.

5. Transfer the soup to a large food processor fitted with a chopping blade or into a large blender. You may have to work in batches if your appliances are small. Process or blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice to make sure everything is pureed. Return the soup to the saucepan. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot.

6. Bring back to a low simmer over low heat. Check to see if the soup needs any additional salt. To serve, ladle into bowls; top with fried prosciutto bits and sliced scallions.

Variations:
Substitute savory, chervil, oregano, or marjoram for the parsley. Stir 2 teaspoons lemon juice into the soup after it's been pureed. Grate a little Parmigiano-Reggiano or Gruyère over the soup in the bowls. Drizzle a little aged, syrupy balsamic vinegar over the soup in the bowls. Steam several thin asparagus spears until crisptender, cut them into small pieces, and use them to garnish the top of each serving bowl.





Here you can find one of the best soup recipe SHALLOTS SOUP prepared in minutes.
Find most popular soup recipe: RECIPE FOR STRAWBERRY SOUP. Welcome to Emely's Cuisine.

Gazpacho Soup

There are numerous variations of this chilled, tomato-based soup from Spain. Originally, it was a peasant dish that made use of the three basic ingredients much revered in Spain, oil, water and bread and other ingredients were added according to what was available. If you chill it, put it in a container with a tight-fitting lid so the flavours don't mingle with anything else in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:
1 large sweet Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 large red pepper, peeled with a vegetable peeler and coarsely chopped
1 large green pepper, peeled with a vegetable peeler and coarsely chopped
3 slices country-style bread, with crusts, about 100 g
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2.5 kg ripe tomatoes, skinned
12 cm cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt
a splash of Tabasco (optional)
ice (optional)
GARNISHES
6 cm cucumber, unpeeled, finely chopped
1 cm bread croutons, sauteed in olive oil infused with garlic
2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

Directions:

Put 1/4 of the chopped onion in a small bowl and add 1/4 teaspoon of the sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of the vinegar, and 3 tablespoons cold water and set aside. Reserve one-quarter of the prepared red and green peppers and put in small bowls. These small bowls will be served as garnishes at the end.

To make the other garnishes, put the unpeeled, chopped cucumber, croutons, and chopped tomatoes in separate small bowls and set aside.

To make the gazpacho, put the bread, garlic, and remaining sugar in a flat dish, sprinkle with the remaining vinegar and 250 ml cold water, and let soak.

Cut the skinned tomatoes in half and cut out the hard core. Put a sieve over a bowl and deseed the tomatoes into the sieve. Push the seeds with a ladle to extract all the juices. Put the juices in a blender and discard the seeds. Add the soaked bread mixture and half the tomatoes. Blend until smooth and pour into a bowl.

Put the remaining tomatoes, the remaining onion, and 100 ml iced water in the blender. Pulse 8 times to get a medium chunky effect, then pour into the bowl. Put the remaining chopped peppers, coarsely chopped cucumber, olive oil, salt and 150 ml iced water in the blender and pulse 8 times. Add to the bowl and stir in Tabasco, if using. Chill for up to 2 hours.If you like ice added, serve with crushed ice cubes. Put the bowls of garnishes on the table for guests to sprinkle over gazpacho.
makes 6 servings



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Pea Soup

How to prepare easy Pea Soup recipe? It can be done with just a little effort. Fresh peas may well be the essence of spring, but you don't have to wait until May to enjoy this easy soup since frozen peas are a good alternative. If you use fresh peas, buy about 4 pounds in their shells to yield the correct amount of shelled peas. Makes 6 servings. Here are ingredients and directions:

Ingredients
 

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, washed carefully of any grit and sand in the layers, and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken broth

11/2 pounds fresh peas, shelled, or 4 cups frozen peas (about 11�4 pounds)

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, preferably white pepper

1/4 cup water

1 cup milk (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)

Grated nutmeg for garnish

Directions:

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the leeks, reduce the heat even further, and cook very slowly, stirring occasionally, until quite soft but not at all browned, about 10 minutes. Should the leeks begin to brown, remove the pan from the heat; let it cool off, stirring constantly; then reduce the heat even further before continuing.

2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and stir until melted. Sprinkle the flour over the leeks, count to ten, then whisk over the heat for 1 minute, taking care not to let the flour brown.

3. Raise the heat to medium and whisk in the broth in a slow, steady steam. Continue whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a simmer.

4. Set 1/2 cup peas aside. Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining peas to the soup along with the bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Simmer very slowly, stirring occasionally, until the peas are quite tender, about 12 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan set over high heat. Add the reserved peas, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 30 seconds. Drain in a colander set in the sink.

6. Remove the bay leaf from the large saucepan. Pour the mixture into a large food processor fitted with the chopping blade or into the canister of a large blender. Process or blend until smooth, scraping down the bowl or canister as need be to make sure everything is incorporated. Pour the puree back into the saucepan. Alternatively, use an immersion blender right in the pan to puree the soup.

7. Working over low heat, slowly whisk in the milk and bring the soup to the first bubble, just warmed through; then remove it from the heat to avoid a "cooked milk" taste. Check to see if the soup needs more salt. Ladle into bowls, dot the fresh peas over each serving, and sprinkle with a little grated nutmeg.

Variations:
Substitute almond oil or canola oil for the butter. For a richer soup, substitute half and-half or evaporated milk for the milk. Fry up 3 or 4 slices of bacon, turkey bacon, or soy bacon until crisp; crumble over the soup in the bowls. (In this case, add no extra salt because of the bacon.)

Crab and Pea Soup:
Mound a little lump crabmeat, picked over for shell and cartilage, in the middle of each bowl before ladling in the soup.

Herbed Pea Soup:
Add 3 parsley sprigs, 2 oregano sprigs, and 2 thyme sprigs with the bay leaf; remove them with the bay leaf before you puree the soup.

Follow this directions and you will be amazed how good this recipe is. Hope you enjoy this unique soup recipe and Bon Apetit.



Here you can find one of the best soup recipe SHALLOTS SOUP prepared in minutes.
Find most popular soup recipe: RECIPE FOR STRAWBERRY SOUP. Welcome to Emely's Cuisine.