This amazingly creamy, yet vegan, soup is the perfect thing for a cold winter's day.
First, remove the woody ends of the asparagus; slice the shallots, the leek and crush the garlic. Since it's all getting blended, precision isn't essential. Beth Le Manach, an inspirational chef, shares her secret for ultra creamy soup - a medium-large potato.
Saute the shallots, garlic and leek, giving them a bit of colour. Then, add in water, the potato and bring to a boil. After 5 minutes of ferocious boiling, add in the chopped asparagus stems, reserving several of the tips for garnish. Boil another 5 minutes, or until the potatoes and asparagus is completely tender. Blend it up and flavour with a squeeze of lemon.
I first tested with an immersion blender. The results were alright. But, the soup wasn't super creamy until I sent it through the Vitamix. Afterwords, it was ultra smooth, with a there-has-to-be-heavy-cream-in-this mouth feel:
