Chilled Asparagus Soup With Goat Cheese Food

ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually mix in canned chicken broth. Bring mixture to boil. Add asparagus pieces and summer savory and simmer until asparagus is very tender, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.
• Drain asparagus, reserving cooking liquid. Puree asparagus in food processor. With machine running, Gradually add 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return mixture to saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. (Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Top with dollops of sour cream or yogurt, if desired.

ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH HERBED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Goat cheese: Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Using a fork, in a small bowl, combine the goat cheese and basil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a 1/2-ounce cookie scoop or a round tablespoon measure sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray, scoop the goat cheese into balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Soup: In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring constantly until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broth, asparagus and basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat.
• To serve: Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with the herbed goat cheese.
• Cook's Note: The soup can also be pureed by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended until smooth.

CREAMY ARUGULA AND LETTUCE SOUP WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Garnish: 2 1/2 ounces goat cheese, sliced
• In a medium pot warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until tender and starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and the stock. Bring the stock to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer, covered, until the potatoes are almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add the arugula and lettuce to the pot and continue simmering, uncovered until the greens are tender, another 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes and greens to a blender. Pour in enough of the stock to cover the vegetables. Add the cream, salt, and pepper.
• *Blend the ingredients together until smooth. Be careful to blend slowly at first with a kitchen towel held tight to the top of the blender lid. Blending hot ingredients can cause the lid to blow off. Pour the blended soup back into the pot with the remaining stock. Stir to combine. Cover and keep warm.
• Pour the soup into 4 serving bowls. Top each soup with 1/2-ounce sliced goat cheese. Serve immediately.
• * When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

SUNNY'S GRILLED ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH CHILE-CHEESE CIABATTA TOAST

Steps:

• For the soup: Preheat a grill for direct and indirect cooking or oven to 400 degrees F. If using a grill, set a wire rack directly on the grill grate.
• Brush the asparagus and scallions all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place over the direct heat of the grill. Cook, turning a few times, until limber and partially charred, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove to a cutting board.
• Make the toast: In a small bowl mix the jam and sambal. Spread on the cut side of the rolls. Divide and pile the cheese on top of the jam on each roll and place over the indirect heat of the grill (directly on the grates or on a baking sheet). Cook, covered, until the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Build the soup. Transfer the grilled veggies to a cutting board and roughly chop. Add to the jar of a blender. Add the stock, yogurt and parsley and blend until smooth.
• Put the soup, lemon zest, garlic and salt to taste in a medium pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to warm through. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
• To finish the soup: In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice and honey. Pour the soup into bowls. Spoon 3 drops of the yogurt mixture into each bowl and run a skewer in a circle through the yogurt mixture to make a decorative pattern.
• Serve the toast alongside the soup.

CHILLED ASPARAGUS SALAD

Steps:

• I like asparagus al dente, slightly crunchy. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot over medium heat. Add salt until it tastes like mild seawater. How will you know? Take a little water with a spoon and taste it, then add the sugar.
• Prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl, large enough to hold the asparagus, with cold water. Add some ice cubes. Plunge the asparagus into the ice bath before cooking. This will help to bring any limp stalks back to life. Remove from the ice bath, plunge them into the boiling water and allow them to cook, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water, transferring them immediately to the same ice bath. Allow them to sit in the ice bath for a few minutes, swirling them gently in the water to assure they are all cooling quickly in the cold water.
• The most important step for this dish? Drying the stalks once they are removed from the ice bath. Taking care that no water gets into the final salad is the best way to assure that the maximum flavor will be enjoyed! Transfer the asparagus to a large plate or platter lined with a kitchen towel and refrigerate.
• In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, honey and mustard. Stir to blend. Whisk in the olive oil in an even, steady stream. When all of the oil has been integrated, taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
• When ready to serve, remove the kitchen towel from the asparagus and simply toss the asparagus in the dressing to coat them completely. Arrange the stalks on plates and serve.

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 GALETTE WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Place flours and salt in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add butter; pulse until butter is the size of peas. While pulsing, add just enough ice water to form moist crumbs. Shape dough into a disk. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight., In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add leeks and 1 teaspoon salt; cook and stir until softened, 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until deep golden brown, 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan to a large bowl., In the same skillet, heat oil and remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and remaining 1 teaspoon salt; cook and stir until reduced by half and crispy, about 20 minutes. Add to bowl with leeks., Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add asparagus; cook, uncovered, until the stalks turn bright green, 2-3 minutes. Remove asparagus and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry; add to bowl with leeks and mushrooms., Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-in. circle. Transfer crust to a parchment-lined baking sheet., Crumble goat cheese over top of vegetable mixture. Spoon over crust to within 2 in. of edge. Fold crust edge over filling, pleating as you go and leaving a 6-in. opening in the center. Brush folded crust with beaten egg. Bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melty, 30-35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ASPARAGUS CHEESE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add asparagus and heat through. Add the cheese, thyme and nutmeg. Cook until cheese is melted, stirring frequently (do not boil). Garnish with croutons and additional cheese if desired.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH HERB GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Arrange asparagus, side-by-side, on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Crumble goat cheese over asparagus.
• Roast in the preheated oven until cheese is slightly melted and asparagus are tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.

ASPARAGUS & PROSCIUTTO BUNDLES WITH GOAT'S CHEESE & HAZELNUT DIP

Steps:

• Heat a griddle pan. Drizzle the asparagus with a little oil, season and cook for 3-4 mins, rolling around the pan until just tender. Leave to cool.
• Lay a slice of prosciutto on your chopping board. Put 3 asparagus spears on top, with the tips poking out the end, then top with a few rocket leaves and 2 semi-dried tomatoes. Roll up the prosciutto tightly to enclose the filling and put in a sealable container for transporting. Continue until all the ingredients are used up.
• Mash the cream cheese and goat's cheese together in a bowl with a fork. Season and add enough milk to make a smooth consistency, into which you can dip the bundles. Transfer to a pot for travelling and sprinkle over the hazelnuts.