Asparagus Soup with Fresh Sheep’s Milk Cheese

We’re keeping with the seasonal ingredients for this month’s recipe. Asparagus soup is perfect for the occasional cloudy or rainy spring day that will still make you feel light and bright. This would also be a great dish as part of a Mother’s Day Brunch AND you can easily freeze it if you’re trying to stock up during quarantine. The Fresh crumbled on top is an absolute must though. It’s tangy, citrusy flavor brightens up the soup even more. For a crumbly texture, use it straight out of the fridge while it’s still cold. We used the Plain, but feel free to get creative (the Nettle or Rosemary would be really good on top too!). We hope you enjoy this little taste of spring.

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of asparagus, bottoms cut off
• 6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
• two medium yellow onions, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• two 3.5 ounce cups Plain Fresh
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• one chunk Parmigiano-Reggiano rind**
• pea shoots (or other fresh herbs like thyme or basil)
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil (for garnish)

Directions:

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they start to turn translucent. Add in minced garlic and saute for a couple of minutes more.

While the onions are cooking, chop the tops off of one bunch of asparagus. Set aside for garnish. Chop the remaining asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces. Once the onions are translucent, add in chopped asparagus, stock, parmesan rind, a teaspoon of salt and 1/2 a teaspoon of black pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the asparagus is very tender.

While the soup is simmering, get a small pot of salted water boiling. Once it’s boiling add in the reserved asparagus tops and cook for 1-2 minutes (they should still have a bite). Drain the tips and put into an ice bath to shock them. Once they’re cool, drain and set aside for garnish.

Once the asparagus is tender, remove the rind and use an immersion blender to blend the soup into a smooth consistency. You can also ladle into a blender or food processor in batches if you don’t have an immersion blender. Once smooth, add in the lemon juice, one container of Fresh. Blend once more then add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with crumbled Fresh, asparagus tips, pea shoots and a drizzle of olive oil.

**Note: Anytime you finish a hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano, save the rind and keep it in the freezer. They are great for using in soups or sauces to give them a cheesy flavor even when you don’t add cheese.