Dicentra
03-30-2010, 13:38
Asparagus Soup
From homemade to dehydrator.
I found the original recipe in a Food and Wine Magazine Cookbook. I’ve made this several times.
Not only is it quick to make, it is delicious and it freezes well. This time I thought I would see if it would dehydrate well too.
Creamy Asparagus and Mushroom Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
10 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced (or 1/2 pound white mushrooms)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 quart water
1 quart chicken broth
1/3 cup long grain rice
2 lbs asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
In a large pot, heat 2 T oil over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms, ¼ t salt and the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden; about 5 minutes.
Remove the mushrooms and set aside. Reduce the heat to low and add another tablespoon of oil to the pot.
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent; about 5 minutes. Add the water, broth, rice, and the remaining salt to the pot. Bring to a boil.
Continue boiling for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the asparagus. Cook until tender; about 5 minutes.
Using a hand blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and add the reserved mushrooms.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4423004464_ee53894361.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4423004464/)
The soup is thickened with rice, but you could use white beans (or both) for added fiber and protein.
I omitted the mushrooms, with the intent that I could add dried mushrooms to the soup before rehydrating if I so desired.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4422239815_3768a83e49.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4422239815/)
This could also be used as a sauce for pasta or rice. Or as the beginning of a delicious gourmet backcountry meal. Try serving this with goat cheese quesadillas and something decadent for dessert.
An excellent recipe to make ahead of time, in the Spring, when asparagus is in season. Even better if you are an aspiring Euell Gibbons and have your own asparagus patch to harvest from! Make a huge batch now, and save some for a cold November trip. It will remind you of Spring.
The soup dries quickly and easily.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4423005840_3dce888f33.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4423005840/)
Use 2-3 tablespoons of dried soup per 8 ounces of hot water. Feel free to add dried mushrooms, instant rice, dried beans or whatever else sounds good. The nice thing about making a large batch basic soup, then drying it, is that you can take that base and have soup 10 or 100 different ways by adding different ingredients. Be creative and have fun with it!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2762/4428053562_cdbaa86ae6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4428053562/)
From homemade to dehydrator.
I found the original recipe in a Food and Wine Magazine Cookbook. I’ve made this several times.
Not only is it quick to make, it is delicious and it freezes well. This time I thought I would see if it would dehydrate well too.
Creamy Asparagus and Mushroom Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
10 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced (or 1/2 pound white mushrooms)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 quart water
1 quart chicken broth
1/3 cup long grain rice
2 lbs asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
In a large pot, heat 2 T oil over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms, ¼ t salt and the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden; about 5 minutes.
Remove the mushrooms and set aside. Reduce the heat to low and add another tablespoon of oil to the pot.
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent; about 5 minutes. Add the water, broth, rice, and the remaining salt to the pot. Bring to a boil.
Continue boiling for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the asparagus. Cook until tender; about 5 minutes.
Using a hand blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and add the reserved mushrooms.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4423004464_ee53894361.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4423004464/)
The soup is thickened with rice, but you could use white beans (or both) for added fiber and protein.
I omitted the mushrooms, with the intent that I could add dried mushrooms to the soup before rehydrating if I so desired.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4422239815_3768a83e49.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4422239815/)
This could also be used as a sauce for pasta or rice. Or as the beginning of a delicious gourmet backcountry meal. Try serving this with goat cheese quesadillas and something decadent for dessert.
An excellent recipe to make ahead of time, in the Spring, when asparagus is in season. Even better if you are an aspiring Euell Gibbons and have your own asparagus patch to harvest from! Make a huge batch now, and save some for a cold November trip. It will remind you of Spring.
The soup dries quickly and easily.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4423005840_3dce888f33.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4423005840/)
Use 2-3 tablespoons of dried soup per 8 ounces of hot water. Feel free to add dried mushrooms, instant rice, dried beans or whatever else sounds good. The nice thing about making a large batch basic soup, then drying it, is that you can take that base and have soup 10 or 100 different ways by adding different ingredients. Be creative and have fun with it!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2762/4428053562_cdbaa86ae6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8680409@N03/4428053562/)