green bean or asparagus soup

Does anyone have a recipe for either asparagus or green bean soup?  I have a bunch of both from the farmers market.

For green beans I make a beef vegetable soup. I wouldn't think anything else since green beans are 1 of my least favorite vegetables.

For asparagus I make a cream based soup.

There are plenty of recipes out there.  Search for them (I use Yahoo vs. Google).

I'm quite sure the OP is capable of using a search engine but I imagine they wanted a recipe that people on this usually pleasant and friendly forum are familiar with from use at home.
 
I don't think I've ever made a specific green bean soup but have added odds and ends of the beans into general veg soup. I do sometimes make an asparagus soup when I get the fresh stuff cheap. I chop the woody ends off & discard, set aside a handful of the tips for garnish, chop the rest into 1inch lengths. Then a good lump of butter goes into the pan, and I cook off some very finely chopped mild onion or shallot.  Herbs are not really necessary but a tsp of fresh thyme would not go amiss. Add asparagus and cook gently for a few more minutes.

Then add some good veg or chicken stock to cover, bring to boil, simmer until asparagus is soft but not soggy. Blend or sieve, add a carton of double ( heavy ) cream or creme fraiche & the asparagus tips, re heat gently, add fresh ground pepper and serve with whatever you like.

If you want to cut the fat down, just cook the onion and then the asparagus in the stock and thicken using either beurre manie ( kneaded butter and flour ) cornflour or a little cooked potato instead, and serve with a swirl of low fat cream or greek yoghurt. I also like to add in a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice sometimes.

Hope this helps :)

Miss Kitty's recipe is very similar to the way I make a broccoli soup, so I know it will be delicious.
 
A few summers ago, I had an asparagus vichyssoise at one of our restaurants (Bayona) which was great, light and refreshing, just what was needed with our summers so humid and uncomfortable.  Having never heard of such a thing, I did a search and was surprised at the number of recipes I found for it(sorry, I can't seem to find the recipe I used at home, but they were all close.)  

Thank you so much MissKitty you are absolutely right that is just what I was looking for!  Your recipe sounds lovely and I wil try to make tonight for supper with a nice sour dough bread!  Belle Reeve thank you also!

You're welcome ! Let us know how it goes.

@ Belle Reeve, yes indeed, same method works well with a lot of green veggies - most others I would put a little more flavouring in and cut back on the cream, but aspargus is so delicate yet distinctive that it needs very little adding to it [:P]

MikeS.


For green beans I make a beef vegetable soup. I wouldn't think anything else since green beans are 1 of my least favorite vegetables.

For asparagus I make a cream based soup.

Exactly.
 

I did a cream of asparagus soup with parmesan custards for Easter.   Huge hit

Saute chopped leek (white & yellow parts only) and shallot in butter.  Add chicken stock & bring to a boil, then season with salt, pepper & a pinch of thyme.  Add about 2 lbs of asparagus cut in 1 in lengths and boil until just tender and still bright green.  Puree with a stick blender and add heavy cream.  Cool immediately in an ice bath (best to divide into two batches) and refrigerate until ready to serve. (If you don't cool it, it turns khaki in color)

Bring about 1 cup each cream & whole milk and 1.5 cups 1.5 cups grated parmigiano-reggiano (the real stuff, not that crap in the green can) to a simmer, then let cool to room temp.  Whisk in 2 egg yolks & 2 whole eggs, season with salt & white pepper.  Pour in to buttered ramekins, place in a roasting pan & fill pan halfway with boiling water.  Bake for 40 minutes at 300.

Puree the cooled soup in a blender and strain.  Reheat and taste for seaoning.  When custards are done, invert into warmed soup plates and surround with the soup.  Garnish with a blanched asparagus tip & curl of shaved parmigiano.  Champage is good with this.