Asparagus has an assertive flavor, but it’s nicely tempered in this lemon asparagus soup. Potatoes and asparagus work well together and they make a perfect pair. When buying asparagus, settle on stalks that are medium in width. If the stalks are a little too thick-stemmed, peel them. Otherwise, the stems are quite tasty, so leave them in the soup. Although you can find asparagus year round, I’d wait until spring to make this, when asparagus are young and sweet.
1small leekbottom portion only, washed and chopped
1medium onionchopped
2garlic cloves, minced
2poundsasparagusstems trimmed, sliced into 2-inch pieces
2large russet potatoespeeled and cubed
6cupsfat-freelow-sodium chicken broth
1tablespoonlemon pepper seasoning
½cuphalf and half
grated zest of 1 fresh lemon
¼cuptoasted chopped pistachio nuts
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek, onion, and garlic and sauté for about 7–9 minutes until vegetables are so¨. Add in the asparagus, potatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium and cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15–17 minutes.
Ladle the soup into a food processor or blender and process until the soup is smooth, working in batches if necessary. Return the soup to the saucepan and add in the lemon pepper seasoning and half and half. Heat through for 1 minute.
Garnish each bowl with lemon zest and pistachio nuts.