Asparagus Leek Bisque Food

ASPARAGUS LEEK BISQUE

Steps:

• Snap the asparagus. **
• Chop the stalks into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
• Clean and slice the leeks and set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter melts and the bubbles subside.
• Adding olive oil is an old French trick to keep the butter from burning, so the olive oil isn't necessary if you use ghee.
• Add the leeks and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add chopped asparagus, salt, and pepper. Sauté another 8 to 10 minutes until the asparagus begins to soften.
• Pour in brandy and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add chicken stock and simmer over medium heat until the asparagus is tender, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often.
• Using an immersible blender or working carefully in batches with a standard blender, pureé the soup until smooth.
• The mixture will be quite thick, so work carefully to avoid burns as you blend.
• Return to medium-low heat OR cool and place in the freezer for future meals.
• When ready to serve, heat over medium-low, add cream, and heat just until hot.
• Do not boil.
• Ladle into bowls and place a pile of crabmeat in the middle of each bowl, if using.

ASPARAGUS AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• In a saucepan cook the leek and the garlic in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the leek is softened, add the asparagus, the broth, and 1/2 cup water, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the asparagus is very tender. Purée two thirds of the mixture in a blender until it is very smooth, stir the purée into the mixture remaining in the pan, and whisk in the sour cream and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the soup over moderately low heat until it is heated through, but do not let it boil.

SHRIMP BISQUE

Steps:

• Place the shrimp shells and seafood stock in a saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve the stock. Add enough water to make 3 3/4 cups. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the leeks and cook them for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, or until the leeks are tender but not browned. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the cayenne pepper and shrimp and cook over medium to low heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Cognac and cook for 1 minute, then the sherry and cook for 3 minutes longer. Transfer the shrimp and leeks to a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until coarsely pureed. In the same pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the half-and-half and cook, stirring with a whisk, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the pureed shrimp, the stock, tomato paste, salt, and pepper and heat gently until hot but not boiling. Season, to taste, and serve hot. ;

CRABBY BISQUE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine bisque, 2 1/4 cups heavy cream, lemon juice, parsley, and crabmeat with juices and bring to a simmer over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Season soup, to taste, with salt and cayenne pepper. Divide soup among 6 bowls. Add 1 tablespoon of cream to each bowl and swirl with butter knife to create a pretty design. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS AND LEEK BISQUE

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add asparagus and pepper. Sauté another 4 minutes.
• Add flour and sauté until mixture begins to bubble and just starts to toast lightly. Gradually stir chicken stock into the flour mixture for a smooth consistency. Add sherry.
• Simmer until asparagus is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée, and return pan to heat.
• Add cream and crab (optional), and stir until just heated through. Do not boil.

ASPARAGUS & LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Coarsely chop leeks.
• Cut asparagus into 1 1/2" lengths; set aside.
• In large saucepan, heat oil over med heat and cook leeks, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes longer or until very soft.
• Stir in lemon rind; cook for 1 minute.
• Add asparagus, stock and 1 cup water; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes until asparagus is tender.
• Remove and set aside 1 cup of the asparagus tips.
• In blender, puree remaining soup in batches until very smooth.
• (Soup can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 day.) Return soup to pot; reheat over low heat.
• Ladle into bowls; garnish with reserved asparagus tips.

CREAM OF FRESH ASPARAGUS SOUP II

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine asparagus, chopped onion, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until asparagus is tender, about 12 minutes. Process the mixture in a blender to puree the vegetables. Set aside.
• In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in the remaining chicken broth, and increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils. Stir in the asparagus puree and the milk.
• Put the sour cream in a small bowl, and stir in a ladleful of the hot soup. Add the sour cream mixture and the lemon juice to the soup. Stir while heating the soup to serving temperature, but don't allow it to boil. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan until foaming. Fry the asparagus tips for a few mins to soften. Remove and set aside.
• Add the shallots, asparagus stalks and garlic, and cook for 5-10 mins until softened but still bright. Stir through the spinach, pour over the stock, bring to the boil, then blitz with a hand blender.
• Season generously and add hot water to loosen if needed. Ladle into bowls and scatter the asparagus tips over each. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with sourdough bread, if you like.

ASPARAGUS & LEEK QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lowest position. Cut off woody ends of asparagus then cut in small pieces on the diagonal. Cut the white and light green part of the leek in half, then thinly slice. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add leek and asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 6-8 minutes. Let cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper. Place piecrust on rimmed baking sheet. Top with asparagus mixture, then pour the egg mixture on top of that. Bake until center of quiche is just set, about 50-60 minutes, and rotate the sheet halfway through. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
• To store, let cool, then refrigerate up to one day. Reheat at 350 until warm, about 30 minutes.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add shallot, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are tender and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add chopped asparagus, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; continue cooking until asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare and ice-water bath. Fill a medium saucepot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt, return to a boil, and add asparagus tips. Cook until just tender. Transfer asparagus tips to ice-water bath; let cool about 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
• Remove from heat; add spinach. Using an immersion blender, puree soup while drizzling in remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Return to heat and cook until heated through; season with salt. Divide soup evenly between 4 bowls, garnish with asparagus tips, and serve immediately.

RED PEPPER SHRIMP BISQUE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring broth and roasted peppers to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. , Transfer to a blender; cover and process until pureed. Return to the saucepan. Add sugar and paprika; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, cream, 2 tablespoons cheese, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with remaining cheese.