Asparagus

Twin Sis Deb and I went to Marge Wartheson’s organic produce farm and each got 8 pounds of organic asparagus.  She gave us a deal at $4.00/pound.  I canned 18 pints of cut-up asparagus and made 12 cups asparagus broth to freeze.  I freeze the broth in one-cup packages and use it for soups, pasta, cooking rice…  I make broth by saving the ends I cut off and cover them with 3-4 inches fresh water in a pot and let the water cook down to half.  If I am freezing the asparagus, I just add the ends to the blanching water and cook down the same.  Strain the broth, cool and freeze or can.

My two favorite asparagus soup recipes:

Asparagus Soup – Broth Style
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic green, sliced (they look just like a green onion) or 1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1-1.5 cups sliced mushrooms
1 tsp thyme
2 Tblsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp dill
1 rounded tsp sugar
3-4 cups cut up asparagus
2 cups asparagus broth OR 2 cups or cans chicken broth )
2 tsp chicken boullion (or cubes)
splash white wine
pinch cayenne pepper
--Saute onions, garlic and mushrooms in butter with spices; add broth,
boullion, asparagus and wine and simmer 30 min; add cayenne pepper

Cream of Asparagus Soup

1/4 cup diced onion
2 TB diced celery
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp dill weed
small pinch nutmeg
pinch of black or white pepper
3-4 cups cut asparagus
2 cups asparagus broth OR 2 cups or cans chicken broth )
2 chix boullion cubes or 2 tsp granules
1 quart Half and Half
--Saute onions, celery and mushrooms in butter with dill and nutmeg; add flour and cook a bit until flour starts to brown, stir in broth and boullion until smooth, add asparagus and cook until thickens, stir in H&H and heat through or simmer a bit, stirring frequently.