A Creamy White Asparagus Soup Recipe with Hazelnuts + Brown Butter
It's light, refreshing and ridiculously smooth. This white asparagus soup is a perfect way to turn any leftover asparagus trim into a bowl of magic. Gluten-free and vegetarian.
Peel the white asparagus top to bottom as shown in the picture. Once they are peeled, remove about 1 inch (3cm) off the bottom with a knife.
Add the asparagus trim to the milk and bring to a simmer. Gently simmer for two minutes and then turn off the heat.
Chop the white asparagus into little pieces.
Strain the asparagus trim from the milk and save the milk.
Add the freshly cut white asparagus to the milk. Bring to a boil and gently simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir with a spatula from time to time to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Toast the hazelnuts in the oven for about 7 minutes at 190°C/ 375°F or until golden brown.
Brown the butter in a small pan by heating it gently over medium heat and stirring frequently. Remove from the heat once it smells delicious and nutty.
Once the white asparagus stalks are soft, scoop these out of the milk and into the blender. Add half of the milk to start and blend on low speed until it catches in the blender. Add more milk until you get to your desired consistency.
Add the salt, xanthan gum, lemon juice and brown butter (save a little brown butter for the garnish) and continue to blend on high until smooth.
Garnish the soup with the reserved brown butter, some fresh chives and roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts. Enjoy!