Asparagus Soup

Chicago winters last a long time. I don't mind the low temperatures or the snow. (I spent my early childhood in Canada.) But the gray skies that persist from late November through mid-April are another thing. For five months, Mother Nature experiments with nearly every shade of gray: steel gray, bluish-gray, pinkish-gray, the list goes on. In December, the dreary skies are bearable because most of us are distracted by the commotion of the holidays and the promise of the New Year. Snow is a novelty, a delight, really, compared to the late fall landscape - bare trees, dead leaves, tired brown grass. 

In January, snow blankets the ground and the sky is often a whitish-gray, making the horizon hard to find. We continue to take pleasure in fresh snow, packing it into snowballs, rolling into snowmen, listening for the crunch under our feet. By February, we begin to feel sapped by the lack of color and days being book marked by darkness. We boast of our Midwest hardiness, but deep inside, we long for winter’s spell to be lifted. March brings about the cracking point. We feel crazed by weeks without sun, so crazed we expect a ground hog to bring about winter’s end. Still, we keep our spring clothes in storage and goggle “beach vacations” should it linger on.

 

Early April brings forth the tempestuous side of spring - fits of rain, temperature dips, and crabby skies. We replace boots with waterproof shoes and scarves with umbrellas. The snow melts away, leaving weathered sidewalks and naked trees. Not the sort of change we've ached for. Then slowly, amidst the chill and sullenness, golden clouds begin to huddle among the trees; their soft contours and luminous color countering months of monotony. 

In fact, the clouds turn out to be bouquets of tiny yellow flowers with bright green stems. Their colors blend into the new birth green that appears only in spring, and "is Her (nature's) hardest hue to hold" as Robert Frost concluded. Within days, rain scatters many of the bouquets over sidewalks and into gutters, spreading fragments of color from the sky to the ground.

Daffodils and dandelions usher in even more green and gold. As the grass gets a solid footing, the trees toss off hundreds of tiny golden petals, inaugurating the end of winter’s long reach with the regality of a royal wedding.

ASPARAGUS SOUP

(COPYRIGHT CARDAMOM KITCHEN 2011)

This time of year, when the heater continues to kick on, there are days I crave the comfort of soup. This dish, which blends asparagus, artichokes, and leeks, offers warmth while capturing the freshness of spring. I like to include the eggs, cooked until the yolks are silky. But the soup is full-flavored without them. Also, if you're itching to make your own bread, take a look at Jim Lahey's book. He makes it remarkably easy. Really, you'll be amazed.

Also, here's a helpful video on prepping leeks.

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium leek

2 pounds of asparagus, washed

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 cups (or two 14.5 cans) vegetable broth

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 jar (6.5 ounce) marinated artichoke hearts

6 eggs

Pecorino cheese as garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice away the dark green portion of the leek. Cut the white base into disks widthwise. Place the pieces in a bowl and cover them with water. Rinse until all of the silt is removed. Drain.

Chop off the ends of the asparagus. With a peeler, remove the outer skin from the woody section (usually the bottom 2 inches or so). Chop the spears into 2-inch pieces.

Heat the oil in Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the leek. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the asparagus, garlic, stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the asparagus is tender. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid. After 5 minutes, transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water. Let them cool for 3 minutes. Peel the eggs.

Place the artichokes and 2 cups of soup in a blender or food processor. Puree. Stir it back into soup.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a sliced egg and a sprinkling of cheese. Serve with crusty bread.

Asparagus-Mushroom Bread Pudding

Many Chicagoans struggle this time of the year. We generally know what to expect during the winter months: snow covered streets and grey skies that seem to linger forever. But temperature dips in April and May leave us wondering if spring will ever arrive. A visit to Green City Market - where stacks of asparagus and layers of green garlic have appeared - proves there's no need to worry. Mother Nature has moved on. The market's cornucopia also includes an array of locally grown mushrooms and herbs including dill, sage, and cilantro, thanks to hoophouses.

When I headed to Green City's grand opening, I knew I had to have a recipe in hand or I'd buy more produce than I needed (as if overloading my fridge could hasten spring's arrival). I settled on a cozy asparagus bread pudding. A serving of this rustic dish - with asparagus buried in cushions of custard and mushrooms nestled under crusty bread - helped me tide the chilly weather that had Windy City residents bundled up...in May!

TIP: Asparagus spears have woody ends that many cooks snap off and discard. However, you can peel away the strawy outside layer. The flesh beneath it is tender and delicious.

ASPARAGUS BREAD PUDDING

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound crusty bread

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup green garlic, finely chopped

1 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup white mushrooms, sliced

2 cups whole milk

3 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 ounce feta cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the bread loaf in two and place each half on a baking sheet, crust down. Cook until the surface browns.

2) Remove the bread from the oven and tear in to 2-inch pieces.

3) Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet on medium-low. Add the green garlic and saute until tender.

4) Add the asparagus and mushrooms. Cook until the asparagus becomes tender. 

5) Whisk together the milk, eggs, mustard, basil, black pepper, and salt. 

6) Coat a 9-x-13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Layer half of the bread in the bottom of the dish. Cover with the asparagus mixture. Cover with the remaining bread and sprinkle with the feta cheese.

7) Pour in the egg mixture. Cover and chill for 2 hours, or overnight.

8) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread pudding for 25 minutes or until the center is set. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.