Whenever you hear someone say, "I wonder why asparagus makes my pee smell bad," a little funky vegetable angel gets its wings.
Asparagus is like the fancy pants of vegetables. You may not want to include her in a casual backyard get-together, but she’s the first one you’d think of to invite to an extravagant affair. You know she will show up to your soiree ready to impress with impeccable party etiquette. But, in reality, she is hiding an embarrassing little secret that she hopes no one can sniff out. She suffers from PASUD - Post-Asparagus-Stinky-Urine Disorder. In short, she makes your pee smell funny. Eating asparagus is like going to bed with Marilyn Monroe and waking up with Norma Jean.
In Germany, the asparagus is known as the “königliche Gemüse” or “royal vegetable.” There is The European Asparagus Museum in Bavaria, Germany which is completely dedicated to the stalk. “Spargelzeit” is a massive event held every year during harvesting season. Restaurants change their menu to include multiple dishes, there are asparagus seminars, asparagus competitions, and a festival king or queen is crowned based on the ‘size of their asparagus stalk.’ Now, that’s a pageant I could watch. The museum is even home to asparagus Pop Art by Andy Warhol. I guess that would technically make her the first vegetable supermodel.
But here in the South, asparagus is still fairly unrelatable. We just don’t know what to do with it. So, I decided to strip the stalk down and give her a make-under of sorts. While she will still turn heads for her beauty, she will be wearing a cheesy t-shirt and flip-flops while doing it. My husband is German and Southern, and this dish is the best of both worlds. If asparagus is muse-worthy of Warhol, then she is certainly welcome at my table. I guess that kind of makes me Euro-pee-an, too. Funny smell and all.
Roasted Asparagus Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 2 bunches of asparagus (bottom ends trimmed) cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 4 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons dried mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, plus more for topping
- Zest and juice from one lemon
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (or 1 cup chicken stock)
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche (optional for thicker soup)
- Thinly sliced scallions (light green only) for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with salt, pepper, and oil. Roast until they begin to brown (but not burn) and they pierce easily with a fork.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown; reduce the heat if necessary.
- Add the chopped asparagus to the pot (minus the reserved tips) and the chicken broth, salt, pepper, dry mustard, and dill. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn the heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.
- Purée the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the soup in batches, then return the soup to the pot.) Bring the soup to a simmer and stir in the lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. Once the cheese has melted, stir in the cream. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. To thicken the soup add crème fraîche, allow it to simmer, uncovered, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, then top each bowl with green onions, Parmesan cheese, dill, and freshly cracked black pepper.
Freezing Instructions: The soup can be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator and reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. (The soup will freeze best if you add the cheese when reheating).
