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.
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
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.