FOOD + ENTERTAINING
Melt the butter in a large pot over
medium heat. Add the onions and garlic
and cook, stirring frequently, until soft
and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not
brown; reduce the heat if necessary.
In the meantime, cut the tips off of
one bunch of asparagus and set aside
(you’ll use those for a garnish). Cut the
remaining spears and the other bunch
of asparagus into ½-inch pieces.
Add the chopped asparagus to the pot
(minus the reserved tips), along with
the chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and
¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil,
then cover and turn the heat down to
low. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or
until the vegetables are very tender.
Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted
water to a boil. Cook the reserved
asparagus tips for a few minutes,
or until tender-crisp. Drain the tips
and then place them in a bowl of ice
water to “shock” them—this stops the
cooking process and preserves their
bright green color. Once the tips are
cool, drain them and set aside.
Purée the soup with an immersion
blender until completely smooth.
(Alternatively, use a standard blender
to purée the soup in batches, then
return the soup to the pot.) Bring the
soup back to a simmer and stir in the
lemon juice and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Taste and adjust seasoning, if neces-
sary. To thicken the soup, allow it to
simmer, uncovered, until the desired
consistency is reached.
Ladle the soup into bowls, then top
each bowl with asparagus tips, more
Parmigiano-Reggiano, herbs (if using),
and freshly ground black pepper.
Recipe from Jennifer Segal,
Once Upon a Chef
FREEZER-FRIENDLY INSTRUCTIONS: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months. Defrost
in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.
Note: The soup will freeze best if you wait to add the cheese until reheating.
SPRING 2020
45