Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Shortbread Coins

 I never posted this but I did this in April or May of 2012, mea culpa! Enjoy!

Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Shortbread Coins

In April and May Asparagus is in season and is cheap. My husband loves asparagus and soup so I made him this recipe originally from Food & Wine which I found on Huffington Post online. You want to make the Parmesan shortbread coins first because you need to chill the dough. The original soup recipe calls for using a blender and doing the soup in batches. I find that the immersion blender saves time, saves the mess and there is less of a chance to get burnt! I have had bad luck with my blender in fact I have never used it after the soup crisis of 2010! Ugh! Spend the $65-$99 and get the immersion blender with all the attachements from Kitchen aid!

Ingredients:

Ingredients to make Asparagus Soup

Asparagus soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1.5 pounds asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 quart low-sodium chicken broth (I suggest Kitchen Basics)

0.25 cup tarragon leaves, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley leaves

0.75 cup heavy cream

0.5 cup frozen baby peas, thawed

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Finely grated lemon zest, for garnish

Ingredients to make the Parmesan Shortbread Coins

Parmesan Short Bread Coins:

1.5 cups all-purpose flour

1.5 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (6 ounces)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1.5 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 large egg yolks

Parmesan Short Bread Coins:

1. In the electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment combine the flour, cheese, thyme, lemon zest and salt.

2. Add the butter and egg yolks and beat at medium speed until lightly moistened crumbs form.

3. Gather the crumbs and knead to form a 2-inch-thick log.

 4. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

5. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
6. After 30 mins slice the log 1/4 inch thick

7.Arrange on the baking sheets.

8. Preheat the oven to 325° and

9. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden around the edges; let cool on the sheets.

 

  

Asparagus soup:

1. In a large pot, melt the butter.
   
2. Add the onion, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes.
   
   
   
3. Add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute.
   
   
   
4. Add the broth and simmer until the asparagus is tender, about 10 minutes. For my stove it took longer than the 10 minutes.You need to test to make sure that the asparagus is tender.  
   
   
   
5. Add the 1/4 cup of tarragon and the parsley.
   
6. Take the pot off of the heat.
7. Using an immersen blender puree the soup in a stock pot.

   

   Go slow and do not hit the bottom of the stock pot. Too fast and you might splash yourself. Be genle and you can move around the stock pot to get it blended.
8. Add the cream and peas; rewarm.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Season with salt and white pepper and garnish with tarragon and zest.
   
10. Serve with the Parmesan coins.
    

Bon apetit!