Creamy Asparagus Soup with Poached Egg on Toast

1 3/4 lb asparagus, woody ends removed
Olive oil
2 medium white onions, peeled and chopped
2 stalks of celery, trimmed and chopped
2 leeks, trimmed and chopped
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 small eggs
8 slices of ciabatta bread
Slab of butter
Extra virgin olive oil

1. Chop the tips off asparagus and set aside. Roughly chop asparagus stalks.
2. Heat a large, deep pan and add a good glug of olive oil. Gently fry the onions, celery, and leeks for about 10 minutes, until soft and sweet, without coloring. Add the chopped asparagus stalks and stock and simmer for 20 minutes with a lid on.
3. Remove from the heat and blitz with a handheld immersion blender or in a standard blender. Season the soup bit by bit with salt and pepper until just right.
4. Put the soup back on the heat, stir in the asparagus tips, bring to a boil and simmer for a few more minutes until the tips have softened.
5. Just before serving soup, poach the eggs (for a couple of minutes, so they're still runny). Toast bread slices. Using a slotted spoon, remove the poached eggs to a plate and add a slab of butter to them.
6. To serve, divide the soup between 8 warmed bowls and place a piece of toast into each. Put a poached egg on top, cut into it to make it runny, season and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Source: Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life

Pasta with Asparagus, Basil, and Balsamic Glaze

I asked for this recipe after eating it at Heidi’s house. It is really yummy and “restaurant quality,” in my opinion… it takes a little bit of time, but not too difficult to make. Definitely worth it!

1 Tbsp plus ½ tsp salt
1 pound penne or bowtie pasta
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound asparagus, bottom 1 inch trimmed and discarded, spears halved lengthwise if larger
than ½ inch in diameter and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 medium-large red onion, halved and sliced 1/8 inch thick (about 1 ½ cups)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup shaved Romano or Parmesan cheese
Cooked salmon or shrimp (optional)

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in stockpot. Add 1 Tbsp salt and pasta, stir and cook until al dente. Drain and return to pot.
2. Just before putting pasta in boiling water bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium and simmer slowly until syrupy and reduced to ¼ cup, 15 to 20 minutes. (This is the hardest part – you definitely have to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too thick!)
3. While pasta is cooking and balsamic is reducing, heat 2 Tbsp oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until beginning to smoke. Add asparagus, onion, black pepper, pepper flakes, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and stir to combine; cook without stirring, until asparagus begins to brown, about 1 minute, then stir and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is tender-crisp, about 4 minutes longer. Add asparagus mixture, basil, lemon juice, ½ cup Romano or Parmesan, and remaining 3 Tbsp oil to pasta in stockpot; toss to combine. Add cooked salmon or shrimp if desired. Serve immediately, drizzling 1 to 2 teaspoons balsamic glaze over individual servings. Top with remaining cheese.

Try #? - May 2011
We've made this a few times before, but not in a while... this time we did it vegetarian. So delicious. This is one of our favorite meals!