In the Kitchen: Asparagus Soup

This weekend I bought way too much asparagus for Mother's Day lunch that we didn't end up using so I decided to make an asparagus soup. It was a bit of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of recipe as I was being lazy and didn't want to go to the store. Although, I think it actually helped the recipe because I had to get creative which made the flavors more complex. 

Because I used  a rue and some low fat Greek yogurt, I was able to keep the consistency thick and creamy without having to use heavy cream. There was only 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour in the entire recipe (which makes about 2 quarts) so I felt like it was a little healthier as a whole.

A word of warning, I had two pounds of asparagus to use so this recipe makes a lot of soup, which is great for freezing for later. However, if you're looking to make enough for just a few people, split the recipe in half.

Here is the recipe:

The first step

What you need:

2 lbs Asparagus, cut in one inch pieces
4 cups Vegetable stock (reserve one cup for the rue)
1 cups Greek yogurt
2 cups soy milk
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbs lemon
1 Tbs butter
2 Tbs all purpose flour
Season with salt, pepper, garlic & basil (or anything else you fancy!)

The plan: 

Boil vegetables in 3 cups vegetable stock on medium high heat until asparagus and onions are tender. In a blender, puree stock and vegetables. In the same pan used to boil the veggies, melt the butter. Once melted whisk in flour until it becomes a brown paste (about 1-2 minutes). Be careful not to burn your Rue! On high heat add in reserved veggie stock, whisk together and bring to a boil (this will create a gravy like concoction). Add puree and milk, stir. Whisk in yogurt and incorporate. Add lemon and seasoning. Stir and simmer for 20-30 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. To garnish add grated Parmesan. I also added a little flat-leaf parsley from my herb garden to plate the dish.

The finished product.

 A couple tips:

I used and emulsion blender rather than an upright blender and pureed the veggies while still in the pot. It's my preferred method but it does add an extra couple of steps since you have to remove the puree from the pot to make the rue, then add it all back in again but I didn't mind. It actually helped me see where any remaining chunks of veggie were to re-emulsify.

I couldn't wait to try it so I ended up eating it hot, although if well chilled I think this could double as a great cold, summer soup. I picture it as a fabulous starter to any dinner party served in shooters with a crispy crostini or Parmesan cheese straw on the side or as a comforting after-work dinner.

To freeze in one batch, place in one large container. For individual servings, pour into muffin trays and freeze until solid. then remove solid soup servings and store them in one large container separated by parchment paper.

In the kitchen: Toritilla Espana con Espárrago

One of my favorite vegetables this time of year is asparagus and one of my most loved comfort foods that I grew up with was Torilla Espana so, the other night I decided to combine the two and see what happened. I was super pleased with the outcome and happy to put a little twist on two things that I love.

Here is how to try this yourself.

What you'll need:
6 eggs, farm fresh are always the best!
2 large potatoes, cut them into discs then cut the discs in half
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 cups of chopped asparagus
1 medium sized non-stick, shallow frying pan
1 extra plate for "The Big Flip"
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

The plan:
Sweat your onions in the pan at medium heat. Once they are translucent, add your garlic, potatoes, asparagus and about 2 tbsp of olive oil. Meanwhile, crack and beat your eggs as if to make scrambled eggs. Add salt and pepper to egg mixture. When the potatoes are soft, move the onion/potato/asparagus/garlic mix around so that it is evenly spread in the pan. Pour your egg mixture into the pan, evenly across your mix of veggies. Let this cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat until the center becomes more firm. Periodically slid your spatula under the tortilla to make sure everything is sticking together.

THE BIG FLIP (READ THE FULL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE ATTEMPTING):
Once everything seems to be solid on the underside, place a large plate directly over top of the pan. Place one hand on the top of the plate and one hand on the handle of the pan. Keeping both together flip the pan over so the contents now sit on the plate but upside down. Then, put the pan back on the burner and slide the tortilla back into the pan so the undone side can now cook.

It seemed so easy until the flip right? Don't be intimidated, there is no room for fear in the flip. It's one of those things you just have to take a deep breath and go at it with everything you've got. Flip like you mean it! Also- don't worry, everything can be fixed and re-shaped in the pan with a good spatula, for the most part.

Moving on:
Once you've flipped your torilla, cook for another 10 minutes or until your eggs have completely solidified. Slide the tortilla onto a fresh plate and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing into it's goodness.

For me this is like the Spanish version of pizza. You can eat it hot or cold and virtually for any meal! I like to serve mine with Tabasco or a dollop of Greek Yogurt on the side. Enjoy!