Cream of Celery Soup

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/celery-soup-51246210

YIELDMakes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 chopped head of celery
1 chopped large waxy potato
1 chopped medium onion
1 stick unsalted butter
Salt
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh dill
1/2 cup heavy cream
Celery leaves
Olive oil
Flaky sea salt

PREPARATION

Combine 1 chopped head of celery, 1 chopped large waxy potato, 1 chopped medium onion, and 1 stick unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; season with salt.

Cook, stirring, until onion is tender, 8–10 minutes.

Add 3 cups low sodium chicken broth; simmer until potatoes are tender, 8–10 minutes. Purée in a blender with 1/4 cup fresh dill; strain. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Serve soup topped with celery leaves, olive oil, and flaky sea salt.

Pea Soup

Ingredients

3T butter or olive oil
1 head butter lettuce, chopped
2 lbs petite frozen pean
4 C water or water & vegetable broth
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
fresh chopped thyme
hot sauce (optional)
croutons for garnish

Directions

Heat the oil in large pot over medium heat. Add lettuce and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes
Add peas, cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add liquid, thyme, and hot sauce, simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.
Puree with stick blender. Add salt and pepper.
It's amazing how these few ingredients make such a good soup.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 2 cups watermelon, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large tomato
• 1 serrano chili (or sub red chili powder to taste)
• 2 tbs vinegar (cider + balsamic)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbs chopped cilantro
• 1/2 green bell pepper 
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• salt to taste 

Reserve 1/4 cup diced watermelon. Blend remaining ingredients until mostly smooth with small chunks or per your preference. Serve garnished with diced watermelon.

Asparagus Soup, Michelle's Version

Ingredients

2 bunches of pencil asparagus, approximately 2 or 3 lbs
2 medium potatoes, well cleaned and diced
1 16 oz bag frozen peas
1 large onion
garlic powder
salt and pepper
olive oil
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)

Prep asparagus, breaking or cutting off tough ends. Save tips from about 1/4 a bunch. Cut remaining asparagus into 1 - 2 inch segments.

Sautee onion in olive oil until brown and fragrant, add asparagus segments and potatoes, sautee until halfway cooked, about 10 minutes. Add peas and water to cover + about 1 inch more.

Bring to boil and reduce to a simmer, add garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook until all vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Cool. Puree with immersion blender. (Some soup recipes call for straining at this point, but we keep the fiber. It's good for you.) Add butter. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and garlic powder if necessary.

Separately, roast asparagus tips with olive oil and salt until brown and crisp.

Serve hot or cold, garnished with asparagus tips.

Asparagus Soup

Recipe without Cream

Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Parmesan
By Jennifer Segal
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients
2 bunches asparagus (about 2-1/4 pounds)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Handful fresh herbs, such as thyme, dill or basil (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, cut the tips off of the asparagus spears and set aside. Cut the remaining spears into 1/2-inch pieces.
Add the chopped asparagus (except for the tips) to the pot, along with the chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn heat down to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes until vegetables are very tender.
Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the reserved asparagus tips for a few minutes until tender-crisp. Drain and refresh under cold water or in an ice bath. Set aside.
Purée the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the soup in batches, then return the soup to the pot.) If necessary, pass the soup through a fine sieve to remove the fibers (the best way is to place the sieve over a large bowl, then use a ladle to push the soup through in circular motions). Return the soup to the pot and bring back to a simmer. Stir in the lemon juice and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and more lemon juice if desired (you may need up to a teaspoon more salt).
Ladle the soup into bowls, then top each bowl with asparagus tips, fresh chopped herbs, more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and freshly ground black pepper if desired.
Nutrition Information

Per serving (6 servings)
Calories:162
Fat:9g
Saturated fat:5g
Carbohydrates:14g
Sugar:5g
Fiber:4g
Protein:11g
Sodium:541mg
Cholesterol:18mg

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Emeril Lagasse's with Cream

Ingredients

• 3 pounds fresh asparagus, rinsed
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup minced shallots
• 1 cup minced leeks, whites only, well rinsed
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, garnish

Directions

Trim the attractive top tips from the asparagus, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in length. Cut the woody stem ends from each spear and reserve. Cut the remaining tender stalks into 1/2-inch pieces.

In a medium pot, bring the stock to a boil. Add the tough woody stems, lower the heat and simmer to infuse with asparagus flavor, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and discard, reserving the stock.

Add the decorative tips to the stock and blanch until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove with a strainer and refresh in an ice water bath. Drain on paper towels and reserve for the garnish. Reserve the stock.

In a medium stockpot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. When foamy, add the shallots and leeks and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chopped asparagus stalks, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the reserved broth and simmer until the asparagus are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.

With a hand-immersion blender or in batches in a food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. If serving right away, return to medium heat and add the cream and reserved asparagus tips. Cook, stirring, until the soup is warmed through, about 3 minutes.

Alternatively, if serving the soup later, do not add the cream and let cool at room temperature (or in an ice water bath). Cover and refrigerate. Before serving, add the cream and asparagus tips, and warm the soup gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

To serve, place the soup in a soup tureen and sprinkle with cheese. Ladle into demi-tasse cups or small coffee or tea cups, and serve.

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003



Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/asparagus-soup-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Asparagus, Pea and Spinach Soup

(Guy Fieri)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot, minced
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
3 bunches pencil asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup thawed, frozen peas or 1 cup shelled fresh English peas (about 1 pound unshelled)
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups lightly packed baby spinach


Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

For the soup: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, bring the oil to medium heat. Add the shallot and salt and pepper to taste. Sweat until translucent, about 1 minute, being careful not to brown. Add the asparagus to the pot and sweat until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the peas and sweat another minute. Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pot. Add 5 cups water and continue simmering until crisp-tender, another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Working in batches (and carefully as the liquid will be hot), puree the soup until smooth in a blender. In the last batch, add the baby spinach and puree; this will give the soup a vibrant green color. Strain back into the pot through a fine mesh sieve. Return to a simmer until slightly thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.