Prep time: 15-25 min Cook Time: 40 min Serves: 4
Recipe by: Connoisseurus Veg
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon olive oil (separate)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 pounds fresh asparagus spears, trim and cut all but 8 spears into 1 – 2 inch pieces
- 1 cup diced russet potato (about ½ pound or ½ medium potato)
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 4 – 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: Coconut or other non-dairy milk, for garnish
- Fresh chives
Preparation:
- Coat the bottom of a large pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Saute the onion for about 5 minutes, until it is translucent.
- Add the garlic and cut asparagus (remember to save 8 uncut spears for later) and saute for about another five minutes, until the asparagus starts to soften. Stir in 4 cups of the broth, the potatoes, and the cashews. Increase the heat until the mixture comes to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potatoes and asparagus should become very soft.
- Add the mixture to a food processor or blender in small batches and blend until smooth. Add blended mixture back to the pot. You can thin the soup by adding up to 2 additional cups of vegetable broth at this point, if you wish to.
- Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reheat the soup if necessary and set it aside for now.
- Coat the bottom of a medium skillet with the teaspoon of olive oil and place over medium-high heat. When hot, add the set-aside 8 spears and cook until they are bright green and tender-crisp. Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with the non-dairy milk (optional) and sprinkle with chives. Add a few of the set-aside spears on top of each bowl as a garnish and serve.