I used to love just about any kind of soup, but for reasons I haven't quite been able to put my finger on, that love sort of died away as the years have passed. There are a couple of types of Campbell's soups I still am in the mood for now and again, and they are: Bean with Bacon and Split Pea. Otherwise, I much prefer homemade soups, but I don't make them very often, even though they really couldn't be easier. Every now and again I get a burst of energy and make homemade chicken stock, and I always congratulate myself when I do (even though I feel wasteful when, per Crescent Dragonwagon's instructions, I toss out the entirety of the chicken at the end, since as she correctly points out, by that time it's just "tasteless fiber"). Most of the time, though, I just use Swanson's Organic, and it's fine for most soups.
Now that the temperatures where I live may actually get below 80 degrees during the day (or so the meteorologists promise me), soup is a little more palatable. When it's 90 degrees outside in October, a steaming-hot bowl of anything isn't that appealing. But when it's cooler and/or when I'm sick, like today, not much sounds better. Today I adapted an asparagus soup recipe from Nathalie Dupree, and I couldn't have been happier with it. So, here it is:
Asparagus-Leek Soup
1 bunch asparagus, cut into about 2" pieces
1 leek, white part only, thoroughly washed and sliced into half-moons (or chopped, whichever you prefer)
1 Tbls. butter
1/4 tsp. fresh tarragon, chopped (if you don't have fresh in your garden like I do, I wouldn't run out and buy any for this; it's totally optional)
3-4 cups chicken stock, depending on how "broth-y" you like it
2-4 Tbls. heavy cream
Salt and pepper
1. Melt the butter. Saute the vegetables and tarragon in it for about ten minutes or so, until they're nice and soft.
2. Add the chicken stock and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are completely soft. The asparagus may also be an unattractive grayish-green, but don't worry, somehow it all looks better after step #3, which . . .
3. Puree the soup in a food processor. Because the asparagus is fibrous, stick blenders really don't work, and even though I have a super-nice KitchenAid blender, I wouldn't trust it with this job either. Food processor it is, and puree to the texture you like. I like this soup pretty smooth.
4. Return to the pot and add the heavy cream. Start with the 2 Tbls. and see how you like it; you might want to add more, then again, you might not. Season to taste and serve hot.
Serves 2, but you'll probably want some bread alongside, or maybe a small salad. Although what I really want right now is a chocolate milkshake.
