Cream of Asparagus Soup (Makes 4 small servings)
1 lb Asparagus
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 cups Water
4 cloves Garlic
1 cup Heavy Cream
2 tbsp Butter
1/4 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp Salt
4 tbsp Sour Cream, for garnish
4 slices Bacon, for garnish (optional)
2 tbsp Olive Oil, for garnish
1 tbsp Lemon Juice, for garnish
Baguette, for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Rinse and trim the ends off of the asparagus.
3. Place onto a baking sheet and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, and and olive oil.
4. Bake until tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Cut the asparagus after its cooled down into 1 inch pieces.
6. Place into a medium sized pot with 1 cup of water. With 4 roughly chopped cloves of garlic
7. Boil the asparagus for about 10 minutes, until very tender.
8. Use an immersion blender to puree the asparagus. If you don't have an immersion blender, use a regular blender.
9. Once the asparagus is smooth, add cream, butter, sour cream, and salt.
10. Mix until smooth, and thickened. It will not be completely smooth, since the asparagus fibers are not smooth. The finished soup will have a chowder or bisque consistency.
11. Slice baguette and toast in the oven.
12. Cook bacon until crispy. Cut into small pieces.
13. Pour soup into serving bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream (about a tbsp), sprinkle of bacon pieces, drizzle (1/2 tbsp) of olive oil, and a small squirt of lemon juice (1/4 tbsp). Finish with the toasted baguette slices and serve immediately.
The soup alone can look like baby food, but the garnishes add a color and texture to the soup to make it much more appetizing. You can toast the remaining baguette and serve it with the soup. It's very rich, so it's a good idea to have the extra bread to balance.
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