Asparagus Soup with Brie Bruschetta

Name: Asparagus Soup with Brie Bruschetta
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, European
Ingredients: 680 grams fresh asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 0 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper; 6 servings 1 1b Brie cheese, sliced; 118 milliliters diced celery; 1 loaf crusty French or Italian bread, sliced; 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves; 1 Tbsp minced garlic; 237 milliliters heavy whipping cream or buttermilk (if using buttermilk, cut the lemon peel in half); 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel; 2 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil; 237 milliliters diced onion; 1 medium Grated peel of orange; 118 milliliters Progresso® Italian style panko crispy bread crumbs; 2 Tbsps chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley; 907 grams carton Progresso® reduced sodium chicken broth (4 cups); 1 teaspoons gray sea salt; 473 milliliters loosely packed spinach; 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Asparagus Soup with Brie Bruschettan Head to the store and pick up olive oil, celery, carton reduced sodium chicken broth, and a few other things to make it today. To use up the onion you could follow this main course with the Candy Corn Cupcakes as a dessert. It can be enjoyed any time, but it is especially good for Autumn. This recipe is typical of Mediterranean cuisine. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 45 minutes.

Instructions

Snap off ends from asparagus and peel any tough skin from the stalks; set aside.

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Asparagus

In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter over medium-high heat until hot.

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Unsalted Butter

Cooking Oil

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Sauce Pan

Add garlic to oil and butter; cook until light brown.

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Butter

Garlic

Cooking Oil

Add onion and celery; reduce heat to medium and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

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Vegetable

Celery

Onion

Meanwhile, make the gremolata. In 8-inch skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat.

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Butter

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Frying Pan

Add bread crumbs to butter; cook until lightly browned, stirring frequently; transfer to small bowl. Stir in the parsley and orange peel; set aside.

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Breadcrumbs

Orange Zest

Parsley

Butter

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Bowl

In saucepan, add asparagus, broth and thyme to vegetable mixture.

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Asparagus

Vegetable

Broth

Thyme

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Sauce Pan

Heat to boiling; cook about 3 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Stir in spinach and lemon peel (the spinach will wilt in the soup).

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Lemon Peel

Asparagus

Spinach

Soup

Pour soup into blender in small batches; cover and puree each batch until smooth. (The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month.)

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Soup

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Blender

Return soup to saucepan and heat over low heat until hot. Stir in the whipping cream, salt and pepper. Ladle into warm bowls.

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Salt And Pepper

Whipping Cream

Soup

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Sauce Pan

Bowl

Ladle

Sprinkle soup with 1 teaspoon gremolata. Pass the remaining gremolata at the table.

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Soup

Set oven control to broil. To make bruschetta, butter bread slices on both sides and top each with several slices of brie (2 to 3 oz per bread slice). Broil with tops about 5 inches from heat until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

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Butter

Cheese