This Spring Asparagus Soup with Boursin and Green Garlic has all the right flavors. It’s fresh, grassy, herbal, and bright. Decadent, yet not heavy. And much more sophisticated than this post.
Oh hey, hi! Are you guys eating all the spring asparaguses? Grillin all those fresh-picked asparagi? Before you laugh at me, asparagus is a Latin word derived from the Greek word asparagos, or at least that’s what the Internet tells me. Anywho, I took Latin in college, and if asparagus is Latin, asparagi is the plural form. So there, laughers! Take that!
Just kidding. Well, not really. I mean, asparagi is correct in Latin, but it’s not the correct plural form in English. So don’t go around telling all your buddies you grilled asparagi over the weekend to sound all sophisticated. Just say asparagus like you were originally going to do . . . like a normal, well-adjusted adult. Phew, good thing you have me here or else you could have rambled on like some idiot.
But who would I be if not a rambler? A decent story-telling human being, I suppose. At least with a keyboard, I have some restraint in the forgiving form of Backspace and Ctrl Z. If only those worked in verbal communication!
Speaking of communication, I have to tell you guys something about this spring asparagus soup. See, it’s quite delicious. I mean, the recipe is spot on if I don’t say so myself, but it’s really all of that freshly-picked asparagus that makes it top notch. So top notch that you eat it eeehh-ry day for lunch.
But here’s the thing. It, well, how do I say this? We’re friends, right? And friends are honest with each other, right? OK, here goes nothing. When you eat a lot of asparagus, like too much spring asparagus soup, it . . . erm . . . makes your pee smell funny
THERE, I said it. I did it. It’s out there, and I can’t take it back. And now you know. I just had to get that out of the way. I didn’t want you to eat all the soup and then think something weird was happening to you. You can count on me. I got your back.
Maybe it’s weird I told you that, but who would I aslo be if not unapologetically honest? That’s what I offer here. Honesty? Check. Awesome soup? You betchya. Pee jokes? Urine luck! Alright, let’s all be adults here now, mmmmkay? Adults don’t talk about that sortsa stuff. Adults talk about serious and sophisticated things like, um . . .
Politics.
Not at the dinner table!
Oh right, duh, religion?
Seriously?
Sex?
What is wrong with you?
Backspace! Ctrl Z! Dangit!
Let’s just get back to the darn soup. I promised you more spring recipes, and don’t tell the other recipes, but this one just might be my spring favorite. Like I said, it all starts with super fresh spring asparagus. The boursin creates depth without being too heavy and adds some extra herbally goodness. Green garlic is a hallmark of spring and adds a lovely fresh note here. Green garlic is young garlic that has not yet developed a bulb and has a subtle garlic flavor. I think if it’s OK for garlic to be immature, I’m going to give myself a pass today too, K? Awesome. Finally, a squeeze of fresh lemon brightens everything up.
Okidoki, smell ya later!
You just had too, didn’t you
Spring Asparagus Soup
If you can’t find green garlic, substitute with 2 garlic cloves. This soup pairs lovely with a Sauvignon Blanc with grassy notes.
- Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds asparagus
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 green garlic stalks, sliced thin (whites and greens)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 3 ounces boursin
- 2 tablespoons freshly-grated parmesan cheese
- 1 –2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- S&P to taste
- Pea shoots, to garnish (optional)
- Truffle oil, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Melt butter and oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes (I like to add a pinch of salt and sugar, but this is not necessary). Add green garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, remove woody ends from asparagus and discard. Cut tips off and set aside. Chop remaining spears into 2-inch pieces.
- Add chopped spears (not the tips) and stock to pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn heat down to low. Simmer for about 20 minutes until vegetables are very tender.
- Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add reserved asparagus tips and cook for 1–2 minutes. Drain and submerge in an ice bath. Set aside.
- Purée soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Add Boursin and Parmesan and continue to purée (alternatively, purée in batches with a standard blender). Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with reserved asparagus tips, pea shoots, and truffle oil.
[…] or pork of all kind, really. Add a little sophistication to your next backyard BBQ to make up for that time you told all your friends you were grilling asparagi. They’ll forgive you once they get a […]