Asparagus Soup Recipe

In this artcile I will show you how to prepare  Asparagus Soup recipe the easy way. Thick asparagus spears can be stringy; make sure the ones you buy are only about as wide as a pencil. If not, pare them down with a vegetable peeler. There's no cream in this soup; the potato does the job. Makes 4 servings (can easily be doubled). Follow the directions:
Asparagus Soup
INGREDIENTS :
Nonstick spray
2 ouncesprosciutto, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, slivered
12 ouncesYukongold or other yellow fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 teaspoons chopped parsley leaves or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon stemmed thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth
1 poundplus4 ounces(20 ounces) thin asparagus spears, peeled and cut into 1-inch segments
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, preferably white pepper
1 small scallion, green part only, thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS :
Spray a large chef 's knife with nonstick spray, then chop the prosciutto into small pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium heat; add 1 teaspoon canola oil, then the prosciutto. Fry until crispy, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Heat a large saucepan or small Dutch oven over medium heat. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, then add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
Add the potatoes, parsley, and thyme; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Pour in the broth, scrape up any browned bits on the pan's bottom, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly for 15 minutes.
Add the asparagus, cover, and continue simmering until the potatoes and asparagus are quite soft when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper.
Transfer the soup to a large food processor fitted with a chopping blade or into a large blender. You may have to work in batches if your appliances are small. Process or blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice to make sure everything is pureed. Return the soup to the saucepan. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to puree the soup right in the pot.
Bring back to a low simmer over low heat. Check to see if the soup needs any additional salt. To serve, ladle into bowls; top with fried prosciutto bits and sliced scallions.