Chilled Spring Asparagus Soup

Asparagus is one of the better-known spring vegetables, although we only get to enjoy its short season for around seven to eight weeks. We welcome asparagus in late April and then the season ends in June.  Take advantage while you can, I’d say!

That’s why I’ve created this fresh spring-like recipe for you.  We’re experiencing unusually sunny and warm weather at the moment so a chilled soup seems a fitting choice.  This recipe can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until needed.  Add shellfish or caviar if you fancy however it’s equally delicious without.

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Chilled Spring Asparagus Soup

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Lunch Starter

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• 400 g asparagus woody ends cut off
• 4 Spring onions white part only
• 225 g leek white part only
• 650 ml Vegetable stock
• 175 ml Greek style yogurt full-fat
• 1 Tbls Butter
• 1 Tbls sunflower oil
• salt and white pepper

Garnishes

• chive flowers
• Greek-style yogurt

Optional extras:

• 20 North Atlantic prawns
• 4 tbls Caviar
• 20 Crayfish tails
• 2 asparagus spears blanched & sliced finely lengthways

Instructions

• Begin by washing the leek thoroughly then roughly chop into even sized pieces. Slice the spring onion. Heat the butter and sunflower oil in a large saucepan on a medium-low heat. Add the leeks and spring onions and a pinch of salt. Stir and sauté without colour for several minutes. Set two asparagus spears to one side for garnishing, slice the rest. Add the sliced asparagus to the saucepan and cook for 3-4 minutes on a medium-low heat. Add the hot stock to the vegetables, salt and white pepper, bring to the boil, simmer until the asparagus are just cooked, this shouldn’t take longer than 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and blitz in a food processor immediately. Pour into a bowl set over iced water to chill quickly and retain the lovely bright green colour.
• Once the soup has cooled, add the Greek-style yogurt and whisk with a balloon whisk to incorporate the yogurt. Check the seasoning, add more salt and white pepper if necessary.
• Bring a pan of water to the boil and add a generous sprinkle of salt, drop the asparagus into the water and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove and cool in iced water. Slice finely lengthways.
• Pour the soup into four bowls, drizzle a little extra yogurt in the soup. Add the sliced asparagus, chive flowers and optional extras.

Tips:

• I’ve used a Swedish caviar in this recipe but you can substitute with salmon or lumpfish roe.
• North Atlantic prawns (I buy with the shells on because they taste much better than pre-peeled) or crayfish are really delicious in this soup too.