A rich and creamy soup made with Spring asparagus and earthy mushrooms, brightened with sherry and fresh herbs, and thickened with a little butter and milk. It's healthy, delicious, and a great way to welcome in the new season.
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- ½ cup shallots, chopped
- 2 tbls garlic, minced
- 1 lb asparagus, chopped into pieces about 1in long
- 10 ozs cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tbl rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tsp sage, finely chopped
- 1 cup dry sherry
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbls butter
- ⅓ cup milk
- ¼ cup parsley
- 1 tbl olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. In a Dutch oven or heavy pot heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until just softened, about 3 minutes. Add the shallot and cook until they sweat a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the asparagus and mushrooms, then add the rosemary, sage, and salt and pepper. Cook this mixture until the asparagus has started to soften and the mushrooms have given off their water and started to cook down, about 10 minutes.
3. When the vegetables have cooked a bit, add the sherry and deglaze the pot. After the liquid has mostly cooked off, add the chicken stock. Add as much as you want for as creamy a texture as you want. I like a thicker soup, so I only added 3 cups. Bring the soup to a boil, then drop the heat to low, place a lid on the pot, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
4. When the soup is done, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool down for a few minutes. Use a blender, food processor, or my favorite, an immersion blender to blend the soup until creamy.
5. In a microwave-safe container, combine the butter and milk and microwave until the milk heats up enough to melt the butter. Watch this carefully, it only takes about 20-30 seconds and you don’t want to burn your milk. Stir the mixture until the butter is incorporated with the milk, then stir into the soup.
6. Stir in the chopped parsley and enjoy!
Added Saturday, May 15, 2010