With White Truffle Oil and Chives
Serves 6
White asparagus is often misunderstood. Unlike green asparagus, which doesn’t need to be peeled unless the spears are super big or thick, white asparagus always needs to be peeled. It is quite fibrous otherwise. Also, unlike green asparagus, which is more often being served in an al dente form, white asparagus is almost always cooked entirely through. But, once it’s peeled and entirely cooked, white asparagus takes on a luscious texture and bittersweet, palate-cleansing flavor that’s akin to asparagus mixed with Belgian endive. Those qualities make it a shoe-in for creating a silky, creamy soup. When it’s finished with spring chives, chive blossoms and truffle oil, along with raw, paper-thin-shaved white and green asparagus, the results are elegant.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. Butter, salted
- 1/2 Sweet Onion, julienne
- 1/2 Baking Potato, medium in size, peeled, thinly sliced
- 1-1/2 lb. White Asparagus, peeled, cut into 1” pieces, reserving 2 spears for garnish
- 6 cups Chicken Broth (or stock)
- 1/2 cup Half-and-Half Cream
- To Taste: Kosher or Sea Salt
- To Taste: White or Black Pepper, freshly ground
- 2 spears Green Asparagus
- 2 Tbsp. Truffle Oil
- 2 Tbsp. Chives, fresh, with blossoms, if possible
Directions
- In a medium-sized sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, sweating it, without coloring, until it turns almost translucent and tender. Add the potato and white asparagus and stir well. Cook over medium to medium-low heat, until the asparagus is tender. Add the broth/stock and bring to a simmer. Boil for 5 minutes.
- Working carefully, and in batches (if needed), puree the soup in a high-speed blender until completely tender. Return the pureed soup to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the half-and-half. Bring back to a simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- While the soup is reheating, thinly shave the reserved white and green asparagus spears. Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls and carefully lower the spears onto the surface of the soup. Sprinkle with a touch of fresh pepper, a drizzle of truffle oil and the minced chives and chive blossoms.
SHARE
PRINT