2 ratings

Green Asparagus Soup with Celery Seed Sour Cream and Toasted Hazelnuts

Name: Green Asparagus Soup with Celery Seed Sour Cream and Toasted Hazelnuts
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed of woody ends; 3 spring onions, trimmed; 1 cup fresh mint leaves; 2 cup vegetable broth; 1 cup heavy cream (optional); 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper; 1 cup sour cream; 1 teaspoon celery seed, lightly toasted; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 1/2 teaspoon lightly toasted hazelnuts, papery husks removed and coarsely chopped; 2 teaspoon chopped fresh chives

April 11, 2016

Lenny Russo

Try this Green Asparagus Soup with Celery Seed Sour Cream and Toasted Hazelnuts recipe

This delicate, mint-scented soup is one of the first recipes we return to when spring arrives in Minnesota each year. I have demonstrated it numerous times at local farmers markets and in front of a camera for our local television broadcast affiliates. It never fails to draw praise from those who have tried it at home.

This recipe is courtesy of Heartland: Farm-Forward Dishes from the Great Midwest cookbook by Lenny Russo and Burgess Lea Press.

Servings

122

Calories Per Serving

Ingredients

2 Pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed of woody ends
3 spring onions, trimmed
1 Cup fresh mint leaves
2 Cups vegetable broth
1 Cup heavy cream (optional)
1/2 Teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 Teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 Cup sour cream
1 Teaspoon celery seed, lightly toasted
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 Teaspoon lightly toasted hazelnuts, papery husks removed and coarsely chopped
2 Teaspoons chopped fresh chives

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and set up an ice water bath. Plunge the asparagus and spring onions into the boiling water and blanch until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to the ice water bath just until chilled. Remove and drain on paper towels.

In a small nonreactive bowl, whisk together the sour cream and celery seed, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.

When the vegetables have drained sufficiently, coarsely chop them into 1-inch pieces and place in a high-speed blender or food processor, working in batches if necessary. Add the mint and court-bouillon and purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

For a richer version of this soup, slowly add the cream with the blender still running until well incorporated. To serve, divide evenly among serving bowls. Drizzle a little celery seed sour cream on top and garnish with the hazelnuts and chives.

Nutritional Facts

Servings6

Calories Per Serving122

Total Fat8g13%

Sugar4gN/A

Saturated5g23%

Cholesterol20mg7%

Protein5g10%

Carbs10g3%

Vitamin A163µg18%

Vitamin B120.1µg1.8%

Vitamin B60.2mg10%

Vitamin C13mg21%

Vitamin D0.2µgN/A

Vitamin E2mg10%

Vitamin K83µg100%

Calcium129mg13%

Fiber5g19%

Folate (food)104µgN/A

Folate equivalent (total)104µg26%

Iron6mg31%

Magnesium41mg10%

Monounsaturated2gN/A

Niacin (B3)2mg9%

Phosphorus141mg20%

Polyunsaturated0.5gN/A

Potassium476mg14%

Riboflavin (B2)0.3mg18.6%

Sodium675mg28%

Thiamin (B1)0.3mg16.9%

Zinc1mg8%