Asparagus Soup

Asparagus season is much too short for my liking. It is one of my favorite vegetables. We are growing our own but it takes three years to mature. Too long!

Of course you can buy asparagus most of the year at the store and make this soup anytime, but there's something about seasonal produce picked and used when it is in season and gotten from down the road, if not your own garden.

This soup may also be frozen. I have not done that because I never seem to have enough left over to do so. Cheers!

1.5 T butter

1 small onion, diced

1-2 garlic cloves (per your own taste - I usually use 2 because I love garlic)

1 bunch asparagus. Eyeball it. I would say it's about 1 pound but might be less

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

0.25 t black pepper (to taste - I sometimes add more)

1 T fresh lemon juice

1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

1 T Fresh herbs of your choice (chopped - I like to use dill, thyme, parsley, but mix and match)

Melt butter in pan (I like a Dutch oven). Add coarsely chopped garlic and onion. Cook until quite fragrant (about 5 minutes). Add the asparagus and broth. Stir to combine. Cook on medium high covered for about 30 minutes (until ingredients are softened).

Blend with the immersion blender until no or few chunks remain (to your liking).

Add black pepper, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and herbs and stir. Continue cooking another 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.

A note about blending: Sometimes I will add the lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and herbs and then use the immersion blender. It really does depend on how smooth you want your soup.