Spring!  Asparagus!  Yippee!

INGREDIENTS:

olive oil

1 small or 1/2 large yellow onion ( young spring onion if you have one)

1 lb or so asparagus (I prefer the slightly fatter ones, rather than the pencil-thin)

1 head garlic (tighter the cloves=better)

savory or marjoram (dried=fine)

vegetable broth

sherry (optional)

  • preheat oven to 350
  • slice off the top little bit of the whole garlic head.  drizzle olive oil over the garlic and wrap in foil. leave a little air in the foil package but fold tightly so steam doesn’t escape. place garlic in oven.  garlic should roast for at least 1/2 hour, if not longer, so be sure to do this first, before you start prepping everything else.
  • heat 1-2 TBS olive oil in soup pot
  • add chopped onion and saute till soft, do not let get brown
  • remove woody bottoms of asparagus, and chop remaining into 1″ pieces.  add to the onions
  • salt, and add some summer savory or marjoram (less than 1 tsp.)
  • let cook for a few minutes till asparagus get a bit soft.  stir.
  • add enough vegetable broth to cover the asparagus.  I used about 1/2 a tetra-pak.  how much you use depends on how thick you like your soup.
  • bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, about 10-15 minutes
  • let cool slightly, then carefully put into blender (I prefer a real blender to an immersion blender for this)
  • whirl away till smooth and green.
  • remove garlic from oven, carefully unwrap.  the cloves should be golden brown.  if not brown, rewrap and return to oven.
  • using the back of a kitchen knife, squeeze out the garlic cloves.  they should slide out easily.
  • add garlic – all of it! to the blender and give a good whiz.
  • add a splash of sherry and whiz another sec
  • pour into bowls, and enjoy!

I made this for dinner last night, the 4th time I’ve made asparagus soup this spring.  I’m all about it for some reason.  I have added one peeled potato to the onion/asparagus at the start before, to give added thickness, but I don’t think it really needs it.  Yesterday we went to the farmers’ market and bought some roasted garlic sourdough bread, which was partially the inspiration for using the roasted garlic in the soup.  A piece of that toasted with some earth balance with the soup was delicious!

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