This Sunday is Easter and I LOVE Easter! This year for Easter brunch we’re having: asparagus soup, Honey Baked Ham, buttered baby parsley potatoes, cucumber salad (Juan’s favorite), peas & carrots, carrot cake, and mini rainbow cupcakes. Oh yes, and Alexandria is bringing a fruit salad. Yum!!!
Carver lobbied hard for cabbage meat pie, but he was over ruled… savoy cabbages are really hard to get here in the heartland. I was tempted to make lamb chops this year, but Brianna’s got a soft spot for the wee little lambs and I don’t want her to cry.
Besides, Honey Baked Hams take all the work off your hands, they’re mighty tasty, and make great leftover sandwiches and an amazing ham & bean soup. Need I say more? So Honey Baked Ham it is!
Honey Baked Ham – Serve it warm or room temperature. Doesn’t matter in my book as long as it is on the table!
Easter Brunch
Years ago, I hosted an Easter brunch for my parents, Jerry, and the kids not long after we were engaged. I found a recipe for asparagus soup that looked manageable and decided to make it. Ok, so far, so good.
The challenge with so many recipes out there (internet and books alike) is many times crucial details are left out.
Mistake #1: Not testing a recipe before making it for company.
The Asparagus Soup recipe I found was a perfect case in point. I made the soup right up to where it was ready to put in the blender. I let it simmer on the stove while Carver and I got dressed.
At last, everyone arrived! I was so excited! I had never hosted an Easter brunch before, so of course, I wanted everything to be perfect.
Mistake #2: Wanting perfection.
The table was set with little bunny figurines. Candles were lit. Dyed Easter eggs decorated the table along with classic green plastic Easter grass. It was all pretty cute.
Exploding Asparagus Soup
Finally, we were ready to set out the buffet and blitz the soup. I poured the hot soup into the blender.
I have since upgraded to a Ninja with a locking lid. Ninja = No more explosions!
I turned the blender on. Now, there are moments in life when you think to yourself: this can’t be happening and yet there you are watching the events play themselves out. This was one of those times.
The steam from the hot soup popped the top of the blender off and soup made a mess on the counter. I stopped the blasted machine and thought, surely that was a fluke!
I picked the top off the floor, washed it, and put it back on. I must have done something wrong. The top must not have been on tight enough. I held the top down as hard as I could and pressed ON… again.
And again, the pressure of the steam sent the top of the blender flying and this time the hot asparagus soup exploded all over the kitchen. I was covered in soup and so were the cabinets and the counter. Later I found bits of asparagus on the ceiling. Ugh!
Definition of Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different results.
I don’t have a good excuse for making a mess that Easter. Maybe I can claim temporary insanity? Or maybe temporary stupidity? Either way, I’ve made plenty of mistakes since then but … I haven’t made that mistake again. So if you decide to make this soup in the blender, let it cool first. Or play it safe by using a hand immersion blender.
Low Carb Gluten Free Asparagus Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 16 oz asparagus woody ends removed and spears flattened
- 32 oz woody asparagus ends
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 leeks washed, whites only, chopped
- 3 tablespoons potato starch
- 10 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup fresh herb mix (suggestion: parsley, oregano, basil, sage, thyme)
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish
- 1/2 pound small shrimp sautéed
- 4 oz Greek yoghurt
- 1 small cucumber peeled and diced
- Equipment
- large soup pot
- medium skillet
- blender or hand immersion blender
- measuring cups and spoons
- knife and chopping block
- vegetable peeler
- wooden spoon
Instructions
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Heat medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté woody asparagus ends, onions, celery and 2 of the leeks until tender in the melted butter. Add dried Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and curry. Let heat open the herbs. Stir constantly to keep the garlic and herbs from burning.
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When the vegetables are soft, add 1/2 of the chicken stock and simmer for 45 minutes. Then strain the liquid and discard all the solid matter.
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Mix 3 tablespoons potato starch with 1 cup of reserved (cold or room temperature) chicken stock. Pour into soup and stir.
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Add the asparagus and remaining leek to the soup. Reduce heat to low and let them all get acquainted while simmering for another 45 minutes.
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Add cream and add salt and pepper to taste.
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If using a standing blender… turn the heat OFF and let the soup cool completely. (Don’t be an idiot sandwich like I was! You don’t want to be cleaning soup off your ceiling.) If using a hand immersion blender, simply turn the heat off and blend away.
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The soup should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
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Garnish with fresh herbs, shrimp, cucumber and yoghurt.