Every year on 01 September, asparagus
season starts in Australia starts. Back in Germany
asparagus season is celebrated so much that many restaurants add the classic
“white asparagus with boiled potatoes, ham and hollandaise sauce” to their
menus or even offer a special asparagus menu. In Australia it seems it’s a less celebrated occasion. With asparagus
being available all year around nowadays it’s a common item on many menus, be
it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
A chef recently enlightened us that
Australian asparagus only has a very short season as it gets too hot too
quickly, so instead most of the time we import the green spears from countries like Peru and
Chilli. Anyway, I love
asparagus and with more and more days that feel like spring, this soup is
perfect to celebrate the under-celebrated asparagus season.
Melt the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped leek 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 2-3cm pieces.
Add the
chopped asparagus (except for the tips) to the pot, along with the chicken broth,
1 teaspoon salt and a few twists of the pepper mill. 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 but make sure they still have a bit of a bite to them. Drain and refresh under cold water or in
an ice bath. Set aside.
Purée the
soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Alternatively, transfer soup to a standard blender in batches and purée, then return the soup to the
pot. If necessary, pass the soup through a fine sieve to remove the fibres (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 parmesan. Taste
and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and more lemon juice if desired.
Ladle the
soup into bowls, then top each bowl with asparagus tips, fresh chopped herbs (optional) and freshly ground black pepper if desired.
