Asparagus soup with caramelized leeks. We all enjoy a great soup and with this mild weather we are having, I can sneak one more in before the extreme heat of summer will be here.
I had some asparagus and wanted to use my pressure cooker to create a soup for my family. And since I just purchased some fresh leeks from the farmer’s market, it was just good form to incorporate them.
As you read the instructions you may feel as they are a few extra steps than you usually found in my recipes, however, trust me they all work well in perfect order for you to have dinner on the table within 45 minutes. Start with the soup, as it is the longest, 20 minutes, to cook.
I would not use arborio or Jasmine rice. The arborio will become glue and the jasmine will not have what it takes to give a rich body to the soup.
I pureed everything on the Vitamix blender to eliminate any chunks. Do not forget to add the caramelized leeks to it, as it will give it a savory flavor to it.
Asparagus are a great source of folate and vitamin B6.
Asparagus Soup with Caramelized Leeks
Ingredients
- 2 pounds asparagus 2 pounds asparagus
- 2 leeks 2 large leeks, white and green separate, green part cut into small rounds, white part quartered and then each section thinly sliced, about 1 1/2 cup
- ½ cup long grain rice (jasmati) ½ cup long grain rice (jasmati)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 sping tarragon 1 spring of tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 3 cups water 3 cups water
- 4 cups chicken stock 4 cups chicken stock
- salt salt
- pepper pepper
Instructions
- Remove the woody part of the asparagus stalk. Peel the remaining asparagus stalk and discard all peelings. Cut the tips and reserve them. Cut the remainder stalk into 1-inch length.
- In the pan of your pressure cooker, add 1 tablespoon butter and add the stalks chunks of the asparagus and the green part of the leeks. Sauté for 3 minutes and then cover with 3 cups of water and 4 cups of chicken stock. Add tarragon spring. Follow your pressure cooker instruction, close the lid, and set the timer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile in a small saucepan, bring 1 ¼ cup of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in the rice and cover. Lower the heat and simmer for 13 minutes, or until the rice is almost done. Keep aside when done.
- In a large frying pan melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the whites of the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until they are nicely brown.
- Once the asparagus and leek soup in the pressure cooker is done, remove a ladle of the soup and place it in the skillet with the leeks to scrape up any brown bits.Transfer the content of the soup pot to a large blender, add the caramelized leek and puree them together well.
- Return them to the pan, add the cooked rice to it. Add the asparagus tips return to a boil. Lower the heat: simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Nutrition
Giangi's Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Soups
- Cuisine: French
- Type: Under 45 minutes
Did you make this?
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