- 1
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
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
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 place 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 leek and cook, stirring constantly until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broth, asparagus and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until the asparagus is tender. 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.