Spring Asparagus Soup
Plus cooking classes in San Francisco
This soup is the bookmark between winter and spring. Regardless of what the calendar says, at some point around this time of year when the first California asparagus pop up, I decide it’s time to make The Soup.
The origins of this soup started here in the Bay Area, well before I called it home. Back in 2017, on a 2-year, cross-country adventure as a TV culinary producer, our crew landed in the Bay. It was early April, and coming from winter in NY, it felt like a vacation. I marveled at the juicy strawberries, multicolored lettuces and greenest-of-the-green peas at the Ferry Building Farmers Market. This market was magical! It planted the seed for my move a few years later.
Our episode co-host was a farmers market icon who operated a longstanding smoked fish operation. I’d heard tales of their smoked salmon & fennel tartines with whipped cream cheese and EatWell’s lavender salt on Acme sourdough. Paired with their legendary asparagus soup? I dreamed of it!
The final scene of the episode was a dinner party shot at the most idyllic vineyard in Napa, misty spring rain acting as the perfect accompaniment to the meal. When I stepped into the vineyard’s prep kitchen, my jaw must have dropped - their serve ware was 100% Heath. As a culinary producer and food stylist, I remember thinking it could not get any better than that (spoiler: it got so much better).
Alongside the talent and my culinary right-hand Nicole (here on Substack
), we developed a classic NorCal menu:Meyer lemon roast chicken
Sweet pea asparagus soup
Goat cheese and strawberry salad
Strawberry-rosé granita
The hero dish, for me, turned out to be the asparagus soup. Thickened with turnip (here, I use cauliflower) instead of cream with the gentle sweetness of spring peas, it was luxurious. The secret ingredient was lavender salt. It didn’t taste flowery - the flavor was hard to pinpoint - but ever since, I’ve kept a steady supply of “lav salt” in my pantry and pull it out each spring. Sea or Kosher salt’s also fine!
I’ve made a variation on this soup annually, often swapping in my homemade protein-rich chicken broth (jiggly with collagen) for the scrappy vegetable broth originally called for recipe. I play around with the alliums and garnishes. I use organic frozen peas (I think they’re sweeter than conventional), saving money and prep time. I’m sharing all those riffs below, plus fun garnish suggestions - the key to adding texture to an otherwise one-note puree. Make it to start an Spring dinner party, as a sidecar to your favorite sandwich or a sippable snack.
Craving something light & bright but still hearty? Try my Lemon Chicken White Bean Soup.
Cooking Classes in San Francisco
I love this soup so much, I included it in my Springtime in San Francisco Cooking Class I taught on Thursday night at The Civic Kitchen. Looking to join me for future class? I have two more classes coming up, with more to come each month. I hope you’ll join me!
Upcoming Cooking Classes in SF
Cali-Mediterranean, April 3rd, 6pm-10pm
Menu:
Mezze Snack Plate
Dill Roasted Halibut with Preserved Lemon & Caper Relish
Chopped Cucumber Radish Salad
Roasted Carrots with Yogurt Sauce & Mint
Tahini-Crusted Cauliflower
Spinach Rice with Feta & Chickpeas
Baklava Blondies
Weeknight Cooking for Two, April 10th, 6pm-10pm
Menu:
Spring Dip Trio
Italian Sub Chopped Salad
Do-It-All Green Sauce
Roasted Tomato Chickpea Stew
One-Pot Lemon Chicken & Rice
Spinach-Feta Meatballs with Cucumber Yogurt
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
The Recipe:
Sweet Pea Asparagus Soup
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 large head cauliflower, florets roughly chopped
1 bunch (about 1 lb) asparagus, diced
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock, or water, plus more if needed
2 cups fresh shelled peas or frozen peas
1 handful baby spinach
1/2 lemon, juiced
Sea salt
Directions:
In a large pot, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt and cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until soft.
Add garlic, cook for another minute. Add cauliflower, asparagus and stock. If using fresh peas, add them now, otherwise, add frozen peas during the last few minutes of cooking. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for about 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Add spinach and let wilt off the heat while the soup cools, about 5 minutes.
Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender. Add lemon juice and blend until super smooth and creamy. Add more water or stock to reach desired consistency. Season with more salt until it tastes good.
Spoon soup into bowls and garnish as you please (see below for ideas).
Riffs and Substitutions:
Onion - Shallots, leeks, scallions, spring onions or a combination
Garlic - Green garlic, ramps or garlic scapes
Cauliflower - Peeled, chopped white potato, turnip or radish.
Spinach - The greens here are used like a saturation filter to add color and help the soup from turning murky. Try kale, arugula, or green chard. You may also use rainbow chard, but note it may mute the color.
Lemon - Try a splash of white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar. The acid will also help set the color and prevent oxidation (browning).
Make it Dairy Free - Leave out butter, increase olive oil
Stock - water is an under appreciated ingredient and allows everything else to shine. You may want to bump up the alliums a bit to provide more of a backbone to the soup. Alternatively, make that scrappy stock I mentioned!
How to Make Vegetable Stock: In a large pot, combine all the vegetable scraps - onion skin, garlic skins, turnip peels (if using), pea pods (if using fresh). If your asparagus are thick and woody, trim the ends and throw them in, too. Cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours. Strain and use instead of water for this soup. Also great in a vegetarian risotto!
Salt - I am in a love affair with EatWell’s lavender salt, available online and at the SF Ferry Building Farmers Market. It adds a depth to this soup (along with roast chicken, salads, potatoes, fish…) that is hard to describe. It doesn’t taste flowery or perfumed. Try it!
Garnish Ideas:
Crème fraîche or sour cream thinned with a little water or milk
Trimmed chives, chive blossoms, dill or pea tendrils
Lemon zest
Dried chili
Asparagus tips sautéed in a little butter
Smoked trout or salmon
A drizzle of olive oil or browned butter
Just lots of freshly ground black pepper
