A classic spring favourite in which nothing of the asparagus goes to waste; even the peelings give the stock extra flavour. Smooth, full and creamy, thickened with egg yolk and cream. In Limburg, we call asparagus “white gold” for good reason.
Creamy asparagus soup
Region: Limburg
Creamy asparagus soup
Region: Limburg
Method
01
Asparagus and stock
Peel the asparagus and cut off the woody ends; keep the peelings and ends. Put the peelings, ends and the peeled asparagus in a large pan with the stock and a knob of butter. Bring to the boil and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Then lift out the whole asparagus and set aside (this keeps their texture nice). Add the shallot and simmer gently for about 60 minutes with the lid ajar. Strain the stock and keep it.
02
Roux and thickening
Melt 40 g of butter in a clean soup pan, add the flour and stir to a pale roux; cook briefly without colouring. Gradually pour in the strained stock, whisking, until a smooth, lightly thickened soup forms. Simmer gently for a few more minutes.
03
Egg yolk and cream
Whisk the egg yolks with the cream. Add a ladleful of hot soup and stir well. Stir this mixture back into the soup and continue to heat gently; do not let it boil again, or it will curdle. Season with nutmeg and salt.
04
Serve
Cut the reserved asparagus into pieces and add them just before serving. Garnish with asparagus tips, cubes of ham and finely chopped tarragon or parsley.
Tips & notes
Serve with crusty baguette or toast with butter for a complete, light meal. Keeps for 3–4 days in the fridge, and freezes very well (up to 3 months).
Variations
- Replace the egg yolk thickening with a splash of extra cream for a lighter, egg-free version.
- Serve cold as a vichyssoise-style summer soup.
Contains:
Gluten
Eggs
Milk
Serve with
| Calories | 312 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 18 g |
| Fat | 25 g |
| Fibre | 3 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
