Fresh Asparagus Soup

The English asparagus season is really short around 8 weeks from the end of April to until roughly the summer solstice in late June.

Ingredients: Make around 4-6 servings

• At least 400g fresh English Asparagus (I get mine from South Brockwells Farm, Little Horsted, Uckfield TN22 5QS) If the bunch is a little bigger just add more to the recipe

• 125-150g peeled potato, sliced

• 1 onion, sliced

• 1 stick celery, finely chopped (optional)

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 50g frozen peas

• 50g unsalted butter

• 1 Litres fresh vegetable stock (available in the chill cabinet from Waitrose) or use water

• Salt and ground white pepper

• Small amount of double cream to swirl (optional)

• 4 large mint leaves shredded (optional)

Method:

1. Trim no more than 2mm from the cut end of the asparagus, and discard. Cut approximately 150g from the top end of the bunch and and set to one side. Now cut the bottom pieces from the asparagus including the woody bits into 2-3cm pieces.

2. In a large heavy based saucepan sweat over a low heat (cook without colour with the lid on) the onion, celery, potato and garlic in the butter for 10 minutes. You will need to give it a regular stir. While this is sweating move on to the next stage.

3. Place the stock or water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add a teaspoon of salt (if you are using a stock cube you will not need to add salt). Fill a bowl with very cold water, add ice if you have some. Place the top end of the asparagus into the boiling stock/water and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender, When ready, remove immediately from the pan and plunge into the cold water, (this will halt the cooking and set the colour). When cold remove from the water and drain. Cut into suitable sized small pieces. Put to one side and to add to the finished soup.

4. Next plunge the rest of the asparagus into the boiling stock/water and cook for one minute. Remove from the pan and add to the sweating vegetables and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the stock/water. Place a lid on the saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes or until the asparagus is soft. Add the peas and cook for a couple of minutes until defrosted and hot.

5. When ready blitz in a liquidiser or bullet. It will need a really good blitz to break up the fibrous parts of the stalks. Do this in several small batches, it will be quicker in the long run. Pass each batch through a sieve using a small ladle to help push it through. You will find you will be left with a small amount of fibrous pulp from each batch. I usually add this into the next batch and re-blitz. Finally you will only end up with a small amount to discard. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and ground white pepper. Add the asparagus pieces.

6. You can now either re-heat the soup and serve or refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze in portions, for up to a month.

To serve: 

This classic soup can be served either hot or chilled topped with a swirl of cream and a few shredded mint leaves if you like.