The Older Adults Cooking Club met again at the South Arm Kitchen. Michelle prepared four new recipes for this kitchen.

The first recipe is Asparagus Soup. This non-dairy creamy soup is simple to prepare and can be made a day ahead of time. It freezes well for future use.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• approximately 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth or bouillon to make 4 cups of broth
• 1 pound asparagus, cut into 1″ pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• optional: yogurt, cream or sour cream to drizzle on top

Asparagus information:

Stem thickness indicates the age of the plant, with the thicker stems coming from older plants. Older, thicker stalks can be woody and peeling the skin at the base will remove the tough layer. Peeled asparagus will poach much faster. The bottom portion of asparagus often contains sand and dirt, so thoroughly cleaning is generally advised before cooking.

Source: this recipe is adapted from epicurious.com.

Instructions

Cut asparagus into 1″ pieces.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add flour, cook for about 2 minutes.

Stir in broth and bring mixture to a boil.

Add asparagus pieces and thyme. Cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.

Puree with a hand blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with cream or yogurt if desired.