A vegan/vegetarian recipe from The Flexitarian
Ingredients
- 500g asparagus (1lb)
- 1 medium leek
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- soya cream or single cream
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- bread to make croutons
- 1 garlic clove
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
Method
- Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan. Gently fry onion with garlic until soft and golden.
- Trim asparagus ends. Chop leek and asparagus reserving some asparagus tips to put on croutons.
- Add leek, asparagus and vegetable stock to the onion mixture. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and cook covered for 20 minutes.
- When cooked, whizz to a soup. Add lemon juice. Season to taste.
- 10 minutes before the soup is ready you can start preparing the croutons and reserved asparagus tips.
- Cook asparagus tips in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and leave on the side.
- For the croutons, put the oven grill on. Cut bread and place slices in a roasting tray. Drizzle with some olive oil. Cook 3 minutes or so on both sides until golden and crisp. When croutons are done, scrub a garlic clove all over the croutons.
- Serve asparagus soup in bowls with a dash of cream, garlic croutons and some reserved asparagus tips on top.