Parmesan Asparagus Lemon Soup

Last week I talked about going and tasting some beers with friends well little did I know that I would be tasting a lobster beer, yes this is beer that is brewed with lobster and it is from Oxbo.  It had hints of citrus and brine and overall was somewhat pleasant (pictured below).  Also their barrel aged farmhouse pale ale was amazing, haven't ever had a beer quite like that.  Last weekend I attended my dear friend's party and it was called Denim Day.  This is the second year in a row she has thrown it and it is mandatory that everyone wears denim, it turned out to be pretty darn fun even if it was hellishly hot outside (pictured below).  Also happy national hot dog day, here are some super delicious places to eat artisan hot dogs in PDX.  This week has been quite busy so going home at the end of the day and making a delicious home cooked meal really helps me relax.  Lucky for me yesterday was actually cool enough that I could make this soup which I adapted from this recipe.

Serves 4

The Ingredients
3 tbsp butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2.5 lbs asparagus, trimmed
5 cups vegetable broth
zest from one lemon
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind (if you have it)
juice of 1/4 lemon
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
salt and pepper
fresh chives, diced


The Process
1.  Add butter to soup pot and melt over medium heat. Add onions & garlic, cook until tender, approximately 10 minutes.

2.  Cut tips off asparagus and set aside. Dice remaining stems into 1/2 inch pieces.

3.  Add chopped asparagus stems to soup pot, stir and let cook 5 minutes longer. Add vegetable broth, lemon zest and parmigiano-reggiano cheese rind to soup pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for half hour until asparagus is tender.

4.  While soup is simmering, add asparagus tips to fine mesh sieve and place over simmering soup. Cover with lid to let them steam. Check for doneness after 10 minutes, should be tender but firm. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

5.  When soup has simmered for 30 minutes, take off heat, remove cheese rind and puree with an immersion blender. Return to heat, add juice of 1/4 lemon, and grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


6.  Add steamed asparagus tips to soup immediately before serving and garnish with chives.