Cream of Asparagus Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 500g asparagus spears
• 1 onion
• 1 knob butter
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 150ml double cream
• 1 clove garlic
• Handful fresh herbs (e.g. chives or parsley), chopped
• 750ml vegetable stock
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

1. Wash the asparagus spears thoroughly, to make sure any grit has been removed from the flower head at the top.
2. Peel the onion and chop roughly. Peel and crush the garlic.
3. Melt the butter in a large pan with the olive oil (this stops the butter burning). Add the onion and garlic and saute gently for 5 minutes.
4. Chop the asparagus spears into 2 inch chunks and add to the pan. Continue to saute for a further 5 minutes.
5. Add the stock. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 5-10 minutes, until the asparagus is soft.
6. Liquidise until smooth. You can sieve the soup, if you want a smoother texture.
7. Add the lemon juice and the herbs and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Then add the cream and reheat gently before serving.

Product Links

• Asparagus