Roasted Asparagus Soup
You guys. I wasn't sure this soup would work, but trust: It. Is. Magic.
With only five ingredients and the most basic instructions I have ever read, Mark Bittman's original recipe just seemed too good to be true. But after trying it out, I have to say that this recipe is one of my new favs. The only change I made from the original New York Times recipe was adding 2 cloves of garlic. I think the garlic adds just the right amount of flavor and a bit of punch that is just poiiifect alongside the greens.
Asparagus also has a heck ton of health benefits if you're into that stuff. My mother recently swore that she's going to eat asparagus every day from now on in an attempt to live forever. I'm not sure that asparagus is that great, but you do you, ma.
Let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!
Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds asparagus
2 cloves garlic
12-15 fresh tarragon leaves
4 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Microgreens for garnish
Equipment
Blender or immersion blender
Steps
Cut off about a quarter of an inch from the bottom of each asparagus spear and compost. Roughly chop the remaining asparagus and crush the garlic cloves with the back of a knife. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chopped asparagus, crushed garlic cloves and some salt. Saute, stirring only occasionally, until asparagus is browning, about 10 minutes. If you'd like to reserve some asparagus tips for garnish, pull them out and put them aside now.
Add the tarragon and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat to bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until asparagus is very tender, about 20 minutes. Use an immersion blender or transfer mixture to a regular blender to blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste and top with microgreens and asparagus tips. Slurp till you drop.
sustainability
Olive oil: Buy fair trade and organic olive oil for maximum sustainability. Read all about it in my sustainable cooking oils post!
Asparagus, garlic and terragon: Make this soup when asparagus, terragon and garlic are all in season in early spring. Also, buy locally and organically to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions from travel and nasty pesticides.
Broth: Using homemade vegetable broth is the most sustainable option here. That way, you can make sure you're using organic and/or local ingredients and put your veggie scraps to good use.