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Kathleen Flinn

Chilled Spinach Asparagus Soup

This recipe is adapted from one by Hubert Keller at Fleur de Lys in San Francisco. The original version of the dish calls for caviar. I made it for a charity dinner with whitefish caviar from the Seattle Caviar Co. The salty crunch pairs wonderfully with the subtle flavor. But for most days, a small pile of sour cream, lime and avocado would be my choice as a final garnish. You can add some sauteed shrimp or some crab if you feel luxurious. I use an immersible blender to puree the soup. If you don't have one, you can pulse it in a blender or food processor, working in batches if necessary.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Soup
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large leek white and pale green parts only, sliced
  • 2 shallots or 1/4 small onion chopped roughly
  • 1 1/2 pounds asparagus ends trimmed, spears coarsely chopped
  • 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
  • 2 cups chopped spinach leaves about 3 1/2 ounces
  • 3 tablespoons parsley roughly chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • Salt pepper
  • 1/2 peeled pitted avocado
  • 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons sour cream
  • 6 ounces of crab meat or cooked shrimp optional
  • 4 oz. caviar optional, yet wonderful

Method
 

  1. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and shallots or onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until asparagus is tender, about eight minutes. Add spinach, cover and simmer until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add the parsley. Puree the soup until smooth. (See headnote.) Shift the soup into a large bowl, season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap and chill until cold about two hours or up to one day.
  2. Just before serving, mix the avocado, lemon juice and sour cream in a small bowl. (If using crab or shrimp, add it into the mix.) Be sure to taste the chilled soup; often chilled foods need additional salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and place a small bit of the avocado mixture in the center. If you go for the caviar option, add a bit on top of the garnish.