Asparagus Soup with Herbed Goat Cheese

By exdircomp

Ingredients

• Goat cheese:
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• Soup:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 large leek (white and light green part only), thinly sliced
• 1 large russet potato, about 12 ounces, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 pounds asparagus, tough ends removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cups tightly packed fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup basil chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

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 potatoes, bay leaf and chicken stock. Raise the flame to high to bring the stock to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Taste the stock and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the asparagus and thyme. Return the stock to a simmer. Cook until the asparagus is barely tender.



Remove the bay leaf. Working quickly, ladle some of the soup into a blender with the spinach and vitamin C. Process until the soup is smooth and homogenous. To cool quickly, remove to a large bowl set inside a larger bowl filled with ice water or a sink partially filled with ice water.


The soup can also be pureed by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended 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.

The soup can also be pureed by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended until smooth.