Creamy Asparagus n Chicken Soup

Creamy Asparagus Soup Recipe

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6.

• Ingredients

  • 2 bunches of asparagus, trimmed of woody stem bottoms
  • 1 tin of asparagus spears and tips (reserve some for serving)
  • 1 chicken thigh bone-in (if you have it)
  • 1 large onion,
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 cups chicken stock or use Massel stock powder
  • 1 cup water
  • Leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 coconut milk
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper

Method

1 Cut tips from the fresh asparagus 1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Chop the remaining asparagus stalks into 1/4-inch rounds.

2 Melt the butter in a large pot on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped asparagus to the onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook another 5 minutes.

3 Add the broth, water, and thyme to the pot. Increase the heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, until the asparagus are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. At the end of cooking, stir in the chopped parsley.

4 When the fresh asparagus are cooked, add the tin of tips and spears with the water they are cooked in as it has wonderful flavour. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove chicken thigh if using it.

5 Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. (If you use an upright blender, work in small batches, fill no more than a third the blender bowl at a time, and hold down the lid while blending.)

For a creamy texture, if you want, press the puréed soup through a sieve or food mill. Stir in the coconut milk. Add the chopped chicken at this stage. Stir in squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with asparagus tips.

Soup inspired by the recipe on: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/creamy_asparagus_soup/