Soup Kitchen

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by Hannah (BitterSweet)
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Left alone and given half a chance, my daily personal menu could easily be reduced to little more than soups and stews. Quite frankly, it’s incredibly that there’s any savory food that makes it onto this blog besides those more liquid edibles, for as much as I make and eat them! Perhaps its the fact that they often defy recipes, one of their most attractive features in the first place, that my love for soup isn’t properly documented. Experience has shown that whatever you’ve got lying around in the fridge, waiting to be used up, is what tastes best in soup. Truly! The more desperate it is to be used, the smaller the scraps that can find no other culinary destination, they are what you should put in you soup right this moment. Besides, how many people need to be told how to put a mirepoix, some beans, and a handful of spices into a big pot with plenty of water? Even the most inexperienced and reluctant cooks can figure that procedure out, no recipe required. It feels silly to spell it out, and yet, there are some creations that beg to be recorded and shared.

An unlikely combination even in my eyes, I didn’t expect that leftover can of coconut milk to embrace the green, vegetal flavor of asparagus nearly so harmoniously. Brightened with zippy bites of lemon, ginger, and pepper, it’s a departure from my standard soup spicing, and just the breath of fresh air I so deeply needed in my soup routine. Although it may still be fairly basic, I’ve conquered my resistance to sharing what seems simple; A recipe needn’t be complicated to be worth talking about.

Yield: Makes 2 - 4 Servings

Asparagus and Coconut Soup

Asparagus and Coconut Soup

Coconut milk embraces the green, vegetal flavor of asparagus with surprising harmony within this creamy soup. Brightened by zippy bites of lemon, ginger, and pepper, it’s a departure from the standard soup spicing, and a delicious breath of fresh air suitable for spring.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 2 Medium Leeks, Sliced Lengthwise, Chopped, and Thoroughly Cleaned*
  • 1 Inch Fresh Ginger, Peeled and Finely Minced
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 12 – 16 Ounces Trimmed Fresh Asparagus, Roughly Chopped (About 1 Bunch)
  • 2 Cups Vegetable Stock
  • 4 Ounces Spinach or Other Leafy Greens (Such as Kale, Collards, etc)
  • 1 Cup Coconut Milk (Full Fat, Don’t Skimp!)
  • Zest of 1 Lemon
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to Taste
  • 1/4 Cup Finely Fresh Chives and Chive Blossoms, or Scallions
  • Avocado Oil or Extra-Virgin Olive Oil for Garnish (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Pour the oil into the bottom of a medium soup pot and set it over moderate heat on the stove. Once the oil is hot, add in the leeks and ginger, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the leeks are soft and the ginger is aromatic.
  2. Sprinkle in the salt, followed by the asparagus and stock. Bring the brothy soup to a boil, then reduce the heat so that it’s at a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and let cook until the asparagus is tender and bright green; about 8 – 10 minutes.
  3. Add the spinach or other greens, and continue to cook just until wilted, only 2 – 4 minutes more should do it.
  4. Turn off the heat and finally incorporate the coconut milk, lemon zest, and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, transfer soup to your blender and thoroughly puree until smooth completely. Alternately, hit it with an immersion blender while still in the pot.
  5. You can either serve the soup right away while still hot, or chill it for at least two hours for a more refreshing blend.
  6. Top individual bowls with chives, chive blossoms, and a tiny drizzle of oil, if desired.

Notes

*Typically, I slit my leeks down the center and then shake them out under cold water until clean, but these were particularly dirty. Thus, I fully sliced them and placed them in a colander with fairly large holes. Tossing them around in the colander under cold water, more of the inner leek was exposed, and I could wash away the excess dirt more easily. Whatever you do, be thorough! These unsuspecting alliums can hold on to a ton of grit, and that will not make for the most pleasant soup.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 602Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 840mgCarbohydrates: 73gFiber: 32gSugar: 21gProtein: 38g
© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Soups and Stews

36 thoughts on “Soup Kitchen”

  2. I feel the exact same way about soups and stews. It’s pretty hard to get sick of them. This is a beautiful looking soup, and the ingredient list is also super purdy!

  4. I just made an asparagus soup and it was so surprisingly good. I love the idea of adding coconut. I feel like there are just endless ingredients you can whiz in a food processor/blender that will result in a delicious creation. And so easy!

  5. I’m the same way! I could live on soups and stews. Anytime I don’t know what to make for dinner, I start sweating an onion, carrot & celery and it naturally comes to me. Hooray for soup :)

  8. As bloggers, I think we often kind of ignore the simple things in life, erring more on the side of crazy insane ornate. Why? Not sure. It seems kind of silly though, especially when there are delicious soups like this to be eaten!

  10. Personally, when it comes to soups – I’m a ‘leave it’ kind of gal. I mean, I like them, but when given the chance – I’m going to pick salad (about 99.9% of the time, ha). However, I will say – this creation with the asparagus and coconut, looks pretty damn good! Even good enough, that I might just pass on salad one of these days and whip it up!

  12. This is all my favorite things in one bowl! I never would have thought to pair asparagus with coconut milk! Definitely can’t wait to try this one!

  13. Hannah,
    We made your doughnut recipe from My Sweet Vegan last week. They barely lasted 2 days, and I’m embarrassed to tell you how many of them I ate! They were delicious!

    1. Hooray, now that’s what I like to hear! So thrilled that you enjoyed them, and don’t worry, there’s no shame is tearing through a batch at warp speed; they’re best while they’re fresh anyway! ;)

  14. These are two of my absolute favorite ingredients (coconut milk and asparagus). I never would have thought to combine them in a soup!

  16. This soup looks beautiful! Especially the chive blossoms! What a beautiful contrast to the vivid green soup :)

  22. I’m a soup-lover through and through and I eat it in all seasons, so I’m glad you shared this with us! I really love coconut milk in soup and I bet it’s a lovely pairing with the veggies in there!

  23. Yay for simple recipes! I always adore your blog but it’s especially nice to see a recipe I’m fairly certain I’ll be able to do x

  24. How gorgeous! This looks like it would be perfect for Easter!

    ps: made you spring fling muffins, gluten-free-inized. BEST EVER. So delicious. I can’t decide what to make next out of your book!

  25. Hey there,

    Love your blog! We were wondering if we can feature it on our site. We will be launching a new network for food bloggers, foodies and amateur chefs and would love to have you be part of it. You can visit us at http://knapkins.com

    cheers,
    Kevin

  27. WOW. The color in there is GORGEOUS! I love green foods and I’m just so intrigued by the combination of asparagus and coconut. It sounds like such an exotic dish, but with simple ingredients.

  29. Nice recipe.

    I just read an article on growing my own asparagus so now I know what to do with it :)

    Thankyou

    Regards,
    Jimmy

  30. WOW, it looks amazing and even the idea is, too. I like very much asparagus and coconut, but I’ve never tried them together – I think it’s time.

    It has such a beautiful color in the picture – I’m spechless. I definetly have to try it, not exactly as you did it, but the main combination is what I want.

  35. I’ve been looking at your recipes and I love them all! I can’t wait to see what you come up with next:)

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