White asparagus soup

This soup recipe is essentially a wonderful way to use up asparagus peelings. They are simmered in the vegetables stock and then strained out once all the flavour has been extracted. A great soup to make for lunch with a good amount of spice from the chilli.

• serves

  8-10

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 kg white asparagus
• 2 litres vegetable stock
• 40 g butter
• 1 lemon, sliced
• ¼ tsp sugar
• 4 potatoes, cooked and cubed
• 100 ml cream
• 100 g baby peas 
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• ¼ tsp sambal oelek (or other chilli paste)
• salt
• white pepper
• chilli powder
• nutmeg, freshly grated
• basil, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Peel the white asparagus and set the stems aside for another recipe, reserving the peel for this soup.

Bring the vegetable stock to the boil, add the asparagus peel, butter, sliced lemon and sugar and simmer for 15 minutes.

Strain the stock and return liquid to the pot. Bring to the boil, add the potatoes and cream and simmer for another five minutes.

Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth.

Blend the peas with the sour cream and sambal oelek in a food processor.

Season the soup with salt, pepper, chilli powder and nutmeg and garnish with the pea and sour cream mixture and sprinkle basil on top.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.