Since childhood I’ve always had something of an aversion to green soup, thinking it looked rather grotesque and slimy.  But there are quite a few things I was resolutely opposed to back then that I’ve recently warmed to after all these years – jam, mayonnaise and meringue, to name a few, and I’m determined to try brussels sprouts to see if my feelings towards them have changed to.  I think my mistrust of green soups is connected to my hatred of mushy peas, which I’m fairly certain will not wear off as I age.  But I’m a huge fan of broccoli and blue cheese soup, and decided to risk this asparagus one, and I’m very glad I did.

It’s another Sophie Dahl recipe which is lovely and summery.  Her recipe calls for a chunk of Parmesan rind chucked in as the soup cooks for flavour – I didn’t have any to hand, so simply sprinkled a bit of grated Parmesan on the finished dish, and it was quite divine.

Asparagus Soup

Serves 3, from Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights

Ingredients:

2 leeks, white part only, finely chopped

1 shallot, finely chopped

24 small-medium asparagus spears, chopped (tough ends discarded)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 litre vegetable stock

Method:

1.  Heat the oil in a large pan and gently sweat the leeks and shallots for about 7 minutes.

2.  Add the stock and simmer for about 15 minutes.

3.  Add the asparagus and simmer for 7 minutes more.  Season.

4.  Remove the pot from the heat and let the contents cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and whizz until spring-green, smooth and in no way similar to mushy peas.

5.  Return to the pan to warm through.

6.  Serve with some nice bread to dunk.