Cookbook # 49 Williams-Sonoma Soups & Stews

Williams-Sonoma is like the mothership to me. Well, actually Crate and Barrel is because I can actually afford to shop in Crate and Barrel. Williams-Sonoma, not so much, but it sure is fun to walk through. Sometimes, there's something in the cookbook section that grabs me and I indulge in a bit of a treat..like this cookbook dedicated to soup and stew. Soup and stew is my go-to winter comfort food. I don't usually associate soup with summer or spring, save one exception: asparagus soup. With the asparagus in the stores looking so very tempting this time of the year, choosing a recipe from this cookbook was tres facile.

I have a Cream of Asparagus Soup recipe that I pull out every spring. What's different about William's Sonoma's recipe however is that though it is called "Cream of Asparagus," there is no cream to found in the soup--just a dallop of crème fraîche for serving (which I actually omitted). There was also a potato thrown in. Interesting...

The recipe called for cooking all of the ingredients for 15 mins, but the photo of the soup was also a brownish yellow, actually, just like asparagus that had been cooked for 15 mins would look. I added the asparagus after the 15 mins and cooked for an additional 5-7 mins.

Stick blender is my greatest soup friend.

Scrumptious, though I think it will be an addition to my recipe collection rather than a replacement. The potato made it heartier than my other asparagus soup recipe, but the tradeoff was that some of the asparagus flavor is somewhat obscured. Still absolutely fabulous.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Soups & Stews

2 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, white and green parts only, cleaned and finely chopped

1 lb aspargus cut into 2-inch pieces. (Reserve tips)

1 russet potato peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks

4 cups (2 cans) chicken broth

Salt and pepper

crème fraîche

1. In a soup pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add leeks and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the potato and saute until nicely coated and beginning to soften, about 3 mins longer.

3. Add broth and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 mins.

4. Add asparagus and cook about 5-7 minutes longer.

5. While soup is cooking, bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Add reserved asparagus tips and boil until crisp-tender and still bright green, about 3 minutes.

6. When soup pot of asparagus and potatoes are tender, remove from heat. Using a stick or regular blender, puree the soutp until smooth. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

7. Serve with dallop of crème fraîche and some reserved asparagus tips. ( I opted for homemade croutons instead).