Asparagus And Gruyere Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Cut tips from 12 asparagus 1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish.
• Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.
• Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids), and return to pan. Stir in crème fraîche, then add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter.
• Add lemon juice and garnish with asparagus tips.

Steps:

• In a big pot, melt butter over medium heat; add in onion; saute until softened, about 6 minutes.
• Add in garlic; stir/saute for 1 minute; sprinkle with flour and saute for 1 minute.
• Gradually whisk in stock; add asparagus and ham; cook, stirring often, until asparagus is just tender, about 8 minutes.
• Gradually whisk in milk and bring to a simmer; add cheese, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon after each addition until cheese is melted and blended; do not let boil.
• Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.
• Ladle into heated bowls and garnish with croutons.

Steps:

• Add the butter to a large saucepan over medium heat to melt. Once foaming and melted, add the shallots and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, cook until fragrant, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in the flour and cook until blonde and pasty. Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Add the asparagus and simmer until it's nice and tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half. Remove from the heat and use a stick blender to puree the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Trim the bottoms of the asparagus stalks, then cut each stalk in two. Slice the asparagus stalks into 1cm sections, and reserve the tip sections in a bowl.
• Melt the butter in a large pan over gentle heat. Add the shallots, celery and leeks, cover and sweat until soft. Meanwhile, heat up the stock in a separate pan.
• Stir the flour into the vegetables, then add the stock and asparagus stalks and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the gruyere and blend in a food processor. Return the soup to the pan, add the asparagus tips and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in the cream, simmer briefly to bring the soup back up to temperature, and serve sprinkled with tarragon.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.