Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Put the Wine Down and Make This.

Cream of Asparagus. Yes, I know. This probably doesn't seem like the first thing that comes to mind when you have just put in a full day at the office and all you really wanna do is grab the first bottle of wine you see. Temptation, temptation.

But, alas. I have come to the conclusion that I need something healthy, filling and takes less than an hour to make. This recipe has it all. Here's to health, wealth and happiness.

Cream of Asparagus


You will need....
- Bunch of asparagus (I used half the amount that the grocery store bundled - produces 2 servings)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- Salt and pepper to taste

Chop one small onion.. or in this case I had half of a large. Whatever's your fancy.



Add a little love of butter, salt and pepper and saute on medium heat



Chop up 1-2 cloves of garlic, I used one large one and a bunch of asparagus. A rough chop will do, it all goes into a blender later!



Throw in the chopped asparagus and garlic and cook for about 6-8 minutes or until the asparagus are a bit soft.



Take a can of chicken broth and about a cup of water...



And add to the pot... let it simmer and come together for about 10 minutes on low-medium heat.



After about 10 minutes of simmering goodness, throw the mix into the blender and let 'er rip! (The blender - not your pants, that would be unfortunate) Leave it a little chunky to add some texture and pour back into the pot on low heat.



What's soup without the creaminess of dairy products? It's amazing what a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream and a splash of milk can do! I used about 3 spoonfuls of sour cream and 1/4 - 1/2 cup of milk. I'm not approximate with these kinds of things, c'mon it's creamy decadence that we're talking about!



Add the milk and sour cream to the soup and stir until it's smooth and silky... the anticipation thickens!



Add a few chopped green onions for garnish et voila! 



I got this recipe from Good Housekeeping's Soups and Stews cookbook but added the milk and sour cream instead of heavy cream like they had listed - it's just what I had at the moment. I also added the garlic for more flavor. You can use this simple base for any vegetable soup - cream of mushroom, cream of tomato, whatever you are in the mood for. It's really inexpensive and took less than 30 minutes to whip up. Enjoy!