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roasted asparagus and garlic scape soup
Well it's that time of year again, it’s the time when we start getting to eat beautiful things grown in our own back yard. For the last couple of years I have been growing garlic in my back yard. It all started on a yearly family vacation to Manitoulin island where I was introduced to fresh garlic. It is a totally different animal then the garlic you buy in the grocery store.
Growing your own garlic is pretty easy and you get two harvests out of one plant. You get the bulb of the garlic which is the main attraction and the scape. Garlic scopes have a nice mild flavour and the same texture as asparagus. There are many different ways to cook this "one time a year" produce but it was cold this week in late june so I made a roasted asparagus and garlic scape soup and it turned out great.
The soup is light, easy to make and very flavourful. If you don't have any scapes you can still make a roasted asparagus soup since it is prime season for that as well and just add some garlic cloves.
Growing your own garlic is pretty easy and you get two harvests out of one plant. You get the bulb of the garlic which is the main attraction and the scape. Garlic scopes have a nice mild flavour and the same texture as asparagus. There are many different ways to cook this "one time a year" produce but it was cold this week in late june so I made a roasted asparagus and garlic scape soup and it turned out great.
The soup is light, easy to make and very flavourful. If you don't have any scapes you can still make a roasted asparagus soup since it is prime season for that as well and just add some garlic cloves.
yeild: about 4 liters. This soup freezes well
3 bunches of asparagus with the woody base removed
2 cups of garlic scapes (if you don't have garlic scapes use 1 bulb of garlic and 1 extra bunch of asparagus instead.
2 medium yellow onions
2 good sized yukon gold potatoes
1 cup celery
1/2 bunch parsley
2 litres of chicken stock or vegetable stock (I used chicken stock here from the store)
1 cup 35 % cream
1/4 cup butter (not margarine)
pine nuts (used to garnish so use what you need and if you don't have pine nuts use sliced almonds instead)
drizzle of light olive oil
2 cups of garlic scapes (if you don't have garlic scapes use 1 bulb of garlic and 1 extra bunch of asparagus instead.
2 medium yellow onions
2 good sized yukon gold potatoes
1 cup celery
1/2 bunch parsley
2 litres of chicken stock or vegetable stock (I used chicken stock here from the store)
1 cup 35 % cream
1/4 cup butter (not margarine)
pine nuts (used to garnish so use what you need and if you don't have pine nuts use sliced almonds instead)
drizzle of light olive oil
Start by pre heating your oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and cut up roughly your asparagus, garlic scapes, celery, onions and potatoes. Add all of these to a roasting pot. Peel and add your garlic cloves if you don't have scapes and add them.
Drizzle your vegetables with olive oil and place in the oven for about 20 minutes or so or until the potatoes as seen in the photo below.
Remove from the oven and place the vegetables in a large soup pot. Cover with the chicken stock. If the two litres of stock does not cover your vegetables add water until totally covered. Add your parsley and simmer for about 20 minutes. use an emersion blender to blend up the soup. If you don't have an emersion blender you can let the soup cool and then add it to a counter top blender and puree it. When the soup is blended pour it through a sieve to catch any woody or stringy bits. With asparagus you will get some woody bits that the blender cannot brake down.
Put the soup back on the stove after it has been pureed and strained and simmer for about 20 min until you get a consistency that you are happy with. Add your cream, salt and pepper to taste.
In a small frying pan on medium high heat add pine nuts and toast while stirring regularly until nicely browned ( note: they burn easily so don't leave them too long without stirring). Add a touch of salt.
serve the soup with some cooked asparagus tips if you like sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and garlic toast.
Drizzle your vegetables with olive oil and place in the oven for about 20 minutes or so or until the potatoes as seen in the photo below.
Remove from the oven and place the vegetables in a large soup pot. Cover with the chicken stock. If the two litres of stock does not cover your vegetables add water until totally covered. Add your parsley and simmer for about 20 minutes. use an emersion blender to blend up the soup. If you don't have an emersion blender you can let the soup cool and then add it to a counter top blender and puree it. When the soup is blended pour it through a sieve to catch any woody or stringy bits. With asparagus you will get some woody bits that the blender cannot brake down.
Put the soup back on the stove after it has been pureed and strained and simmer for about 20 min until you get a consistency that you are happy with. Add your cream, salt and pepper to taste.
In a small frying pan on medium high heat add pine nuts and toast while stirring regularly until nicely browned ( note: they burn easily so don't leave them too long without stirring). Add a touch of salt.
serve the soup with some cooked asparagus tips if you like sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and garlic toast.
just about to put this in the oven to roast
all roasted up and ready for the chicken stock
the garlic scape harvest this year
design
Suggested Drink Pairing
light white wine like pinot grigio
additional photographs
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