Tarry Health Fitness, Weight Loss, Workouts and Healthy Eating 
It is asparagus soup season. The markets here have shifted from yellow and orange orbs of citrus to banks of green asparagus, baskets of artichokes, bouquets of green garlic, and tiny favas the size of my ring finger. There are massive tangles of purple lilac and eggs for sale in shades of cream, pale blue, and soft mocha. I’ve braised baby artichokes every night this week, and made this soup twice. Spring it is. Do you remember the simple carrot soup I highlighted a while back? This is the asparagus soup version. I trade in asparagus for the carrots, then tweak a bit depending on what I have in the kitchen. But, really, it just goes to show how you can evolve your favorite recipes as the seasons change. For lunch I reheat it, grab one of the hard-boiled eggs I try to keep on hand in the refrigerator, and then root around for something crunchy – nuts, crackers, seeds. Give it a go.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or extra-virgin coconut oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 pound new potatoes, tiny cubes
1 tablespoon green curry paste, or to taste (optional)
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch segments
1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
1 1/4 cups of water, or to cover
1 lemon or lime
to serve (topping ideas): grated hard-boiled egg, herbs,
crumbled whole-grain crackers or croutons, crème fraiche
In a large soup pan over medium-high heat add the butter and onion. Stir until the onion is well coated, and allow to sauté until translucent, a few minutes. Stir in the potatoes, and cook until completely tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the curry paste, and then the asparagus. Allow to cook another minute or two, and then add the coconut milk, salt, and water, adding more water to cover if needed. Allow to simmer until the asparagus is tender, 2-3 minutes, and then puree using a blender or hand blender until the soup is completely silky smooth.
This next part is important (with any soup) – make any needed adjustments. Add more water if the consistency needs to be thinned out a bit. After that taste for salt, adding more if needed. I also like to season this soup with a great big squeeze or lemon or lime juice. Serve topped with whatever you have on hand – I made it this time around with grated hard-boiled egg, herbs, crackers, and a touch of crème fraiche, but you could just sprinkle a few chopped peanuts on top and call it a day.
Serves 4.
Prep time: 10 min – Cook time: 15 min
