Many spoons filled with asparagus soup have passed my lips. Some thick with cream, others thinned with broth or fat-reduced evaporated milk. I've enjoyed some more than others, but perhaps my very favorite along with the asparagus is packed with fresh fennel and basil, yielding a flavorful, creamy mix that is topped off with a little Pernod. A swallow of this tasty soup leaves irresistible flavors dancing in my mouth.
Pernod is made from distillates of star anise, fennel and 14 other botanicals such as coriander and mint. Truth be told, I sometimes make myself a small cocktail while the soup cooks, diluting the Pernod with ice water, a process that produces a tempting cloudy mix.
Cook's notes: As with many pureed soups, if the soup is too thick, before serving add more broth to reach the correct consistency and return to heat to warm it. Use salted butter if you like but reduce the amount of salt that is added in step 2 by a little bit (soup will be tasted before serving and it may need more salt). To wash fennel and leeks: place the cut-up fennel and leeks in bowl of cold water. Swirl around to remove dirt. Drain in colander and shake colander to remove excess water. The soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
Asparagus and Fennel Soup
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter; see cook's notes
5 cups (3/4-inch-diced) fresh fennel, tops and cores removed (2 fennel bulbs), see cook's notes
3 cups coarsely chopped leeks, white and light green parts, (2 leeks), see cook's notes
2 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
1 pound medium-thick fresh asparagus
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
8 cups chicken broth
3 large sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with cotton kitchen string
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned (leaves cut crosswise into thin strips) fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons Pernod liqueur
1/2 cup half-and-half
For serving: freshly grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot, heat oil and butter over medium heat and add fennel, leeks, and onions. Cut or break-off the tough bottoms of the asparagus and discard. Cut off 8 (2-inch) tips from the asparagus and reserve. Slice the remaining stalks into 1/2-inch thick crosswise slices and add them to the pot. Cook the vegetables for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, cooking until very tender.
2. Add rice to vegetables, pour in the chicken broth, add tied-up thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is very tender. Discard thyme bundle.
3. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the reserved asparagus tops and cook for 2 minutes, drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Set aside.
4. Puree the soup with an immersion blender. (You can use a regular blender but be careful not to overfill it; divide mixture into batches and hold down the lid with a potholder.) Stir in half-and-half, taste for seasonings, and reheat over low heat. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with julienned basil, Parmesan cheese and a blanched asparagus tip.
Source: Adapted from "Cooking for Jeffrey" by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter, $35)
Cooking question? Contact Cathy Thomas at cathythomascooks@gmail.com
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