Aspargus and cilantro soup

We had such good weather but now winter is back with cold and rainy days. These day's are perfect for a warming soup as I mostly eat for lunchtime. I just love soups.
Yesterday I bought the first aspargus this year though it's not yet really aspargus season. When I was a child my mother used to cook them and we ate them with a Sauce hollandaise and potatoes.

As I'm in soup season I just had to make on with them, but I didn't want to make a simple soup it had to taste like a little bit of asian. First I wasn't sure if cilantro would be the right herbs to use but together with the tamari the flavor was just that good, just perfect. Defenetly a soup I'm going to do over and over.


Aspargus and cilantro soup

When aspargus is in season you simply must make this soup. The rather exotic, bitter-tasting aspargus pairs amazingly well with fresh, clean flavor of cilantro.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small russet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
6 cups vegetable stock or water
2 pounds aspargus, trimmed, tips reserved, and stalks cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. tamari
2 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Direction:
1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic and sauté for 8 min.or until the onion are translucent.

2. Stir in the potato, basil, oregano and cumin. Add the stock and bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 min. or until the potato are almost tender. Add the aspargus stalks and simmer for 5 min. or until the aspargus is tender and the potato is very tender.

3. Using a handheld immersion blender, puree the soup in the pot until smooth. Stir in the tamari, salt and white pepper. Return the soup to a simmer then stir in the cilantro.

4. Meanwhile cook the reserved aspargus tips in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 min. or until crisp-tender. Drain then cut the aspargus tips in half lenghtwise.

5. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish with the aspargus tips and serve.

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