A perfect recipe for a hot, summer’s day or any day you would want a cold soup! Cold Asparagus Bisque has everything you would want from French country cooking – simple, seasonal, rich, and creamy.
Hello, all.
Summer days will soon be upon us! (Or maybe your spring days are hot?) Days when I want anything but a hot meal for dinner. These are the days for panzanella salads, antipasto platters, and cold soups.
Honestly, this asparagus soup I’m sharing with you today started as a hot soup, but while I was developing the recipe, I thought ‘why not chilled instead??,’ tried it and thought it was amazing cold, so here we are.
What’s to love?
- Simple. No fancy technique and only a handful ingredients.
- Quick. Minimal hands on time! It needs to chill, so you can’t go from ingredients to eating in a flash, but the work is done fast.
- Make Ahead. Since it does need to chill, that makes the recipe perfect for getting done in the morning or the day before.
What do you need?
- Asparagus – One good fistful of spears (about 20 medium) will do. Make sure they have nice, firm stalks and tips.
- Onion – I use a medium white onion or half of a large one.
- Stock – Four cups, though you can add more if you want a thinner soup.
- Cream – One half a cup provides just the right amount of richness.
- Lemon – Just a squeeze! That little bit of acid to finish things off.
How to make this
To make asparagus bisque, saute asparagus and onion then simmer in stock until tender. Add cream and puree then chill thoroughly. Serve with fresh herbs and more cream.
1. Prep
Start by chopping the asparagus and onion. Reserve the tips of the asparagus.
2. Saute
Now melt some butter and saute the onion until soft. Then add the asparagus and give it a minute.
3. Simmer
Add the stock and simmer it all together until the vegetables are tender.
4. Puree
Take the pot off the heat and cool for a few minutes, then add the cream and puree the soup until completely smooth.
Taste and add salt&pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
5. Chill
Put the pureed soup in the fridge until fully chilled, about 3 hours.
Tip: If you want the soup to be really cold, put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before you serve.
6. Finish
Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the reserved tips, a minute or two. Then put them in ice water to stop the cooking.
Top each bowl of bisque with some of the tips, a drizzle of cream, and a scattering of fresh thyme leaves.
To Complete the Meal
Here are a few ideas of recipes to pair with the cold bisque:
If you try my recipe, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.
– Stay Safe, Annemarie
Cold Asparagus Bisque
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lbs asparagus
- 2-3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 4 cups vegetable stock, low or no sodium
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- squeeze or two lemon juice
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- heavy cream and fresh thyme leaves, optional topping
Instructions
- Break off the tough ends of the asparagus. Chop into ~1 inch pieces. Reserve the tips separately.
- Melt butter in a large pot on medium heat until bubbling. Add onion and a pinch of kosher salt. Saute, stirring frequently, until soft. 8-10 minutes.
- Add asparagus stems and stir for 1 minute. Pour in stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to keep at a simmer until asparagus is tender, 10-12 minutes.
- Take off heat and let cool a few minutes. Then add cream and puree soup in the blender until smooth.
- Refrigerate soup until fully chilled, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
- When ready to serve, heat a pot of water to a boil and blanche asparagus tips, 1-2 minutes. Drain and move the tips to a boil of ice water.
- Taste soup and add lemon juice, salt, and pepper as needed. Serve with tips, drizzles of cream, and fresh thyme leaves.
Notes
- Serving Temperature: I find this soup to be best when fully chilled. If you want put it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before serving.
- Topping Ideas: Crispy pancetta or prosciutto, croutons, cooked crab meat or shrimp, microgreens.
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