**Asparagus Velouté: A Delightful Spring Soup with Variations to Suit Every Taste**
As spring arrives, its bounty of fresh produce inspires culinary creations that celebrate the season's flavors. Among these delightful dishes is asparagus velouté, a classic French soup that showcases the delicate sweetness of asparagus. This creamy, velvety soup is a symphony of flavors and textures, with a vibrant green hue that adds a touch of elegance to any meal.
This article presents a collection of asparagus velouté recipes, each offering a unique take on this timeless soup. From the classic recipe that highlights the natural flavors of asparagus to innovative variations that incorporate complementary ingredients, these recipes cater to a wide range of preferences.
**Classic Asparagus Velouté:**
This recipe embodies the essence of asparagus velouté, capturing the vegetable's delicate flavor and vibrant color. Fresh asparagus is cooked gently in a flavorful broth, then puréed until smooth and velvety. A touch of cream adds richness, while a sprinkling of fresh herbs brings a touch of freshness.
**Roasted Asparagus Velouté:**
This variation elevates the flavors of asparagus by roasting the spears before adding them to the soup. Roasting caramelizes the asparagus, deepening its flavor and adding a smoky note. The resulting soup is rich, complex, and sure to impress.
**Creamy Asparagus and Leek Velouté:**
This recipe combines the sweetness of asparagus with the subtle pungency of leeks. Leeks are sautéed until softened, then simmered with asparagus in a vegetable broth. The soup is puréed until smooth and finished with cream for a luscious, velvety texture.
**Asparagus and Pea Velouté:**
This vibrant soup is a celebration of spring's bounty. Fresh asparagus and peas are cooked together in a light broth, creating a soup that is both refreshing and flavorful. A touch of mint adds a bright, herbaceous note that complements the sweetness of the vegetables.
**Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Velouté:**
This sophisticated recipe brings together the delicate flavors of asparagus and smoked salmon. Sautéed asparagus is simmered in a fish broth, infusing the soup with a rich, smoky flavor. Smoked salmon is flaked and added to the soup, creating a luxurious and elegant dish.
With its versatility and ability to showcase the best of spring's produce, asparagus velouté is a soup that deserves a place in every home cook's repertoire. Experiment with the recipes in this article to discover your favorite variation and enjoy the delightful flavors of asparagus in a whole new way.
ASPARAGUS VELOUTE (VELVET SOUP, HOT OR COLD)
What is so great about Asparagus veloutes (soup) in the spring and summer you can eat it cold and in the fall and winter you can eat it warm and hot. My mom has made Asparagus soup since I was little and so have I, so when I bought my Gordon Ramsay cookbook, Cooking fo Friends I happended to notice a recipe for Asparagus veloute...
Provided by JoSele Swopes
Categories Soups
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- 1. Sort out 12 most attractive spears, cut off the tips to use for garnish. Roughly chop the rest and set aside.
- 2. Heat olive oil and 1/2 the butter in a large pot and add the chopped onion, chopped celery, and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently with wooden spoon, till vegetables begin to soften, 4-6 min. Add the chopped asparagus and the thyme, and nutmeg, and stir over high heat until asparagus is tender but stillvibrant green, 3-4 min. Pour in just enough stock (chicken or vegetable) to cover and simmer for 2 min. Remove from heat.
- 3. Blend soup while it is still hot. Place 1/2 the vegetables in a food processor or blender using a slotted spoon, add 1 or 2 ladles of hot stock, and puree well, pour through a strainer or seive and repeat till all is complete. Discard pulp....Stir in remaining stock stirring in till well blended you will have a creamy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, add a little lemon juice if you like, do not over season, especially if you are serving cold...
- 4. When ready to serve add the cream, as not to scortch, just to a simmer. Meanwhile, saute the asparagus tips in the remaining butter with someseasoning in a hot frying pan or saute pan. Add a splash of water, cover the pan, and let the asparagus steam until just tender, 2-3 min.
- 5. Pour soup into warm bowls garnish with asparagus tips. Drizzle with a little olive oil over the top and serve immediately.
SAUTEED ASPARAGUS WITH OLIVES AND BASIL
Full-flavored savory garlic and olives and aromatic basil brighten the crisp asparagus. Cutting the asparagus into short pieces allows them to cook quickly.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories side-dish
Time 20m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the asparagus, 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper and cook, stirring, until the asparagus is bright green and crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the olives, basil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss well. Serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 126 calorie, Fat 8.5 grams, SaturatedFat 1 grams, Cholesterol 0 milligrams, Sodium 201 milligrams, Carbohydrate 10 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 5 grams, Sugar 4 grams
NAGE OYSTERS AND ASPARAGUS IN PERNOD VELOUTE
Provided by Food Network
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a small saucepan. In a heavy -bottomed pot, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and saute, stirring for 2 minutes. Turn heat down to medium and sprinkle the flour over the leeks. Saute, stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the boiling chicken stock all at once. Beat vigorously with a whisk to incorporate the flour into the stock. Return to boil and add the celery. Reduce to a bare simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.
- When ready to serve, divide the raw oysters and the cooked asparagus tips among 6 wide, shallow soup bowls. If you find the soup too thick, add some oyster liquor to thin it. Strain the soup, bring it to a boil, add the Pernod, and turn off heat. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with a whisk. Season to taste and pour immediately over the oysters and asparagus in the soup bowls, keeping the oysters just above the surface of the veloute. Garnish with fresh tarragon leaves, if available.
- As an appetizer: The best way to use this recipe, we feel. A great start to a late-winter/early-spring dinner that leads, perhaps, into a roast leg of lamb. A wonderful way to serve it is to place the bowls before your guests, with the oysters and asparagus already set in them. Then, bring a tureen to the table and ladle the veloute over all.
- As a main course: If you simply increase the amount of oysters and asparagus-say 8 per person rather than 4-you'll have a light but filling main-course soup. Serve warmed French bread with it, and a light frilly salad tossed with fresh goat cheese.
CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP (CRèME D'ASPERGES)
This classic French soup is made with just six ingredients: butter, asparagus, onion, chicken stock, cream, and lemon juice.
Categories Soup/Stew Milk/Cream Blender Vegetable Quick & Easy Lunch Asparagus Spring Simmer Gourmet Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Easter Vegetarian
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Cut tips from 12 asparagus 1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish.
- Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.
- Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids), and return to pan. Stir in crème fraîche, then add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter.
- Add lemon juice and garnish with asparagus tips.
Tips:
- To ensure a creamy and smooth velouté, use high-quality chicken or vegetable stock. If you don't have homemade stock, opt for a low-sodium store-bought variety.
- For a more flavorful velouté, roast the asparagus before blending. Roasting intensifies the sweetness and enhances the asparagus's natural flavor.
- If you don't have heavy cream on hand, you can use whole milk or half-and-half instead. However, heavy cream will result in a richer, more decadent velouté.
- To prevent the velouté from curdling, whisk constantly while adding the cream or milk.
- Season the velouté to taste with salt, pepper, and other desired seasonings. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of white wine for a brighter flavor.
- Serve the velouté immediately, garnished with additional asparagus spears, chives, or croutons.
Conclusion:
Asparagus velouté is a versatile and delicious soup that can be enjoyed as a starter, light lunch, or elegant dinner. With its creamy texture, vibrant green color, and delicate asparagus flavor, this soup is sure to impress your dinner guests. Whether you choose to roast the asparagus beforehand or not, this velouté is a simple yet sophisticated dish that is perfect for any occasion.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love