Creamy Asparagus Soup with Seared Scallops
Serves 2.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. asparagus
- 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 3 shallots, minced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 cups firmly packed chopped spinach
- 4 oz. fresh sea or bay scallops
Directions
Snap off the tough stem ends from the asparagus spears and discard. Cut the tips off 4 of the spears into 2-inch lengths. Set the tips aside. Chop the remaining asparagus into 1-inch pieces.Bring a large pot two-thirds full of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the chopped asparagus and cook until bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or long-handled strainer, transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When the asparagus is cool, drain and set aside.
In a heavy soup pot over medium heat, melt 3 Tbs. of the butter. When the butter is just hot, add the shallots and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped asparagus and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the cream and stock. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes more.
Transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pass the soup through a chinois into a clean saucepan and keep warm over very low heat.
Season the scallops with salt and pepper. In a small sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter. When it is nearly smoking, add the scallops and cook until evenly browned and slightly translucent in the center, about 2 minutes per side. Divide the scallops among 2 warmed soup bowls.
Add the reserved asparagus tips to the sauté pan and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into the bowls, garnish with the asparagus tips and serve immediately.
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Rated 2 out of
5
by
Helmut Spargle from
Very bland, won't make it again...
Title says it all. I added a little lemon juice, and some zest on serving. Wish I had winged it...
Date published: 2021-01-07
Rated 5 out of
5
by
SmokeyGrill from
Tasty, impressive presentation
I made this dish for my family and everybody loved it. I did let the soup simmer on low heat for two hours before serving and I felt this really brought out the flavors. Everybody loved the presentation and more importantly the flavor.
Date published: 2013-01-27