Fresh Asparagus Soup

When my neighbor shared some fresh asparagus with me the other day, I wanted to make a batch of the  asparagus soup that I had loved when I was in high school. It was an old Diet Workshop recipe that called for canned asparagus, but I figured fresh asparagus would make it even better. When I dug up the recipe, I saw that it was made with chicken bouillon and dried onion flakes and thought it would be better if I freshened them up as well. And while I was at it, there were some carrots in my veggie bin that needed to be used up too.

I gave the 'remix' recipe a spin tonight, and it was simple, fresh and delicious. I added a bit of sour cream and croutons as an extra touch. I think this new version will replace the old one  in my recipe box, but I can definitely say I enjoyed them both.

Ingredients:

14.5 oz. can of asparagus or 1 lb. of fresh asparagus trimmed
14.5 oz. can of chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup diced onions
1 - 2 carrots finely diced
1 tbsp. butter
Croutons
Sour Cream

Directions:

If using fresh asparagus, simmer the spears for 3 minutes in boiling water, drain, then put into a blender. If using canned asparagus, just pour the asparagus and liquid into the blender. Add the chicken broth to the blender and puree the mixture. Then pour it into a large saucepan and add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the soup to a simmer.

Melt the butter in a pan and sauté the carrots and onion till tender. Add them into the soup and allow to simmer for an additional 10 minutes or so. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with croutons and a splash of sour cream. Makes two nice size servings.