SHARE is delighted to provide this recipe from Cook For Your Life, whose mission is to teach healthy cooking to people touched by cancer. They design easy recipes specifically for the different stages of treatment, and to promote healthy survivorship. Good food gives your body the strength it needs to get through hard days, the courage to stay healthy when treatment is over, and comfort when your soul needs it most.
Asparagus Soup with Spring Herbs
Meal: Soup
Main ingredient: Asparagus
Prep time: 30 minutes
Health consideration: In Chemo, In Radiation, Post-Treatment
Food preference: Vegetarian, Low Calorie
This pretty green soup is a version of one of Deborah Madison's great recipes. It is perfect when springtime asparagus appear, and couldn't be simpler to make or more delicious to eat!
Serves 4-6 people
Ingredients:
1½-pounds asparagus, washed
5 cups water
2 large bunches scallions, whites end chopped (about 2 cups), and green stems reserved
1 bouquet garni: a few parsley sprigs, 1 bay leaf and 1 thyme sprig
1½ teaspoons sea salt, divided
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup peeled and very thinly sliced potato or ⅓ cup of white rice
White pepper, to taste
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Spring herb garnish:
1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon shredded Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Directions:
- Snap the tough ends off the asparagus about 1-inch from the root end. Put these ends into a pot with water, reserved scallion greens, bouquet garni, and ½ teaspoon salt, bring to a boil, and then simmer while you prepare everything else. If you're not ready to use the stock after 25 minutes, strain it and set aside.
- While the stock is cooking, cut off the flowered tips of the asparagus cover them with cold water, and set aside to soak, agitating the water occasionally to get rid of any sand. Peel the remaining middles of the asparagus and chop them into ½-inch chunks.
- Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the chopped scallions, asparagus middles, and potato. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and cook over medium-high heat for several minutes, just until the butter begins to brown a bit. Pour the hot stock through a strainer right into the pot if you haven't strained it already, then simmer for 8 minutes. Puree in small batches until smooth. Strain the pureed soup into a clean pot. Press the soup and any chunky bits through the strainer. Taste for salt and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with a little white pepper and heat through.
- Simmer the asparagus tips in a little salted water until tender, about 4 minutes, then drain. Add them to the soup just before serving, and top with the herb garnish.
Enjoy!
Visit www.cookforyourlife.org for more recipes that will fit your particular stage in cancer recovery!
