Asparagus soup recipe: Chilled soup with seasonal ingredients, salad

Fresh asparagus is at its best at this time of the year. This refreshing treatment is one of Jeremy’s favourite chilled soups.

WHILE it may be available for much of the year, fresh asparagus is at its best at this time of the year. This refreshing treatment, complete with salad, is one of my favourite chilled soups.

CREAMY CHILLED ASPARAGUS SOUP

Serves 8

THE SOUP

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, split lengthwise, rinsed well and thinly sliced

Salt

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

2½ litres vegetable stock

5 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

500g asparagus, coarsely chopped

6 sprigs tarragon

250ml thickened cream

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

THE SALAD

2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning (commercial spice mix, or see recipe below to make your own)

1 medium lemon, thinly sliced

500g small prawns

170g asparagus, very thinly sliced

2 small radishes, very thinly sliced

3 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped

2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

2 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped

2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated, plus 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

The soup: In a medium, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add the leeks, season generously with salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until they are very soft, but not browned. Add the garlic and potatoes, and continue cooking until they are beginning to soften. Add the stock, thyme and bay leaves, bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are very soft.

Using an immersion blender or working in batches with a standard blender, puree the soup until smooth; keep warm.

In a large frying pan over high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the asparagus and cook just until the asparagus turns bright green with tinges of char, 4-6 minutes.

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Transfer to the soup, then stir in the tarragon. Puree again until very smooth.

Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl and strain, discarding any vegetable fibres that are caught in the sieve. Refrigerate until completely chilled and then stir in the cream, lemon juice and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the soup while you make the salad.

The salad: Set a large bowl of ice water by the stove.

In a medium saucepan, add enough water to reach 3cm up the sides. Add the Old Bay seasoning and lemon. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then add the prawns and cook until pink and just cooked through.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the prawns to the ice water and then drain. Peel, de-vein and, if large, cut the prawns into 1cm pieces.

In a medium bowl, add the prawn, asparagus, radishes, chives, mint, tarragon, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice and oil. Toss to combine, then season with salt and pepper.

Divide the salad between 8 wide soup bowls. Pour about 1½ cups soup around the salad in each bowl. Serve cold.

Cool dish: Chilled creamy asparagus soup. Picture: Andy Rogers

OLD BAY SEASONING

2 tbsp celery salt

¼ tsp paprika

Generous pinch ground black pepper

Generous pinch cayenne pepper

1 pinch each of dry mustard, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, ground allspice, ground cloves and ground ginger

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Store in an airtight container.

SUMMER ASPARAGUS PICKLES

BRING a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water. When the water is at a full rolling boil, drop in 1kg trimmed asparagus spears and boil for only 15 seconds.

Drain the asparagus in a colander and immediately transfer it to a bowl of ice water.

Bring 600ml water, one-third cup apple cider vinegar, 1½ tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar to a boil, stirring once or twice to dissolve the salt and sugar. Let the brine cool slightly.

Meanwhile, prepare your pickle jars. You will need two or three 800ml jars (or the equivalent).

Divide 4-6 peeled garlic cloves between the jars. Put the jars on their sides and start loading in the asparagus spears, adding 2 sprigs of fresh dill and 1 teaspoon of whole mustard seeds to each jar.

Add a lemon slice and dried chilli to each jar. If you alternate tip ends up with thicker ends up, you will get more asparagus spears into the jar.

Pack the spears in tightly so that they will not float up out of the brine. Pour the cooled brine into the jar over the other ingredients, being sure to completely cover the asparagus with the liquid. Secure the lids and place in the refrigerator.

The tips of the asparagus spears may take on a pink hue because of the vinegar. The pickles will be ready to eat in three days, but will be much better if you wait a week, and even better if you can wait two weeks before sampling. They will keep in the refrigerator for three to four months.

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