MAKES: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds thin fresh asparagus
- 2 large taters, peeled and diced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 1 garlic clove clove, minced
- two tablespoons canola oil
- 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 2 cups half-and-half cream
- Shaved Mozzarella dairy product, optional
Directions
- Cut tips from asparagus spears put aside. Place stalks inside a large skillet cover with water. Provide a boil. Reduce heat cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Strain, reserving 4 cups cooking liquid. Discard stalks.
- Inside a Nederlander oven, saute the taters, onion, celery, carrot, parsley and garlic clove in oil until vegetables are tender. Stir within the broth, salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, bay leaf and reserved cooking liquid. Provide a boil. Reduce heat simmer, uncovered, for half an hour. Discard bay leaf. Awesome slightly.
- Inside a blender, cover and puree soup in batches until smooth. Go back to the pan. Add some chicken, cream, remaining pepper and reserved asparagus tips. Provide a boil. Reduce heat simmer, uncovered, for five minutes or until asparagus is tender. Garnish with Mozzarella dairy product if preferred. Yield: 10 servings (a couple of quarts).
Initially printed as Chicken Asparagus Soup in Taste of Home April/May 2008, p51