TIRED BROCCOLI, ASPARAGUS & POTATOES
Level 2
Mature Minestrone
Serves 4
Are your potatoes growing antennae? Is your asparagus tired and your broccoli exhausted? Consider yourself lucky: these expendables combine for a fabulous bisque or minestrone-style soup.
1 Tbsp. olive oil or butter
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 cups past peak vegetables (broccoli, asparagus and other "meaty" veggies)
2 stalks celery, peeled and coarsely chopped
4-6 cups chicken broth
½ dry white wine (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
- Rinse vegetables you’d like to treat with a sharp paring knife, trimming off any discolored or soft parts.
- In a stockpot, heat butter or oil over low heat. Add garlic and onion until translucent. Add trimmed vegetables, and stir to coat with butter or oil.
- Add broth and wine and bring to a boil. Halfway through cooking add salt and pepper.
- Turn heat down to simmer and cover for half hour.
- Allow soup to cool. Strain solids; reserve liquid in a pot. Add solids to a food processor. Puree until smooth; gradually adding back broth to the pot with the liquid, blending well with a whisk. Reheat to serve.
Cooking tip: For a thicker bisque-style soups, thicken this soup by blending 1 tablespoon softened butter with 1 tablespoon flour until smooth. Gradually incorporate into pureed soup. Cook soup on low until desired thickness, whisking occasionally.
Serving suggestions: For a tasty garnish, add a dollop of sour cream, pesto, sesame oil, tapanade, chopped parsley or crumbled bacon.
Variations:
For a summer soup, let the pureed version return to room temperature. Refrigerate for 2 hours; serve chilled.
For a hearty soup, add a can of cannellini beans, rice, leftover pasta and serve with grated cheese on top to resemble more of a minestrone type soup.
