Create Your Own Creamy Vegetable Soup with Asparagus

I created this awesome Asparagus soup recipe from http://www.finecooking.com/.  They have a great create your own program for soups, tarts, casseroles and much more.  Click here to create your own soup!

Here is the recipe I created - enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/4 cup thinly sliced celery (halve lengthwise then slice crosswise)

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 cup medium-diced onions

Kosher salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

2-1/4 lb. asparagus, bottom of stems trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

5 cups vegetable broth, preferably homemade OR 2-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth diluted with 2-1/2 cups water

3 Tbs. fresh orange juice

1/4 cup buttermilk

1-1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup chopped basil

Directions:

In a 4- to 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the butter over medium-low heat. When hot, add the celery, garlic, and onions and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir well, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the aromatics are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp. kosher salt and the cumin.

Add the asparagus, broth, and orange juice, stir well, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender and the soup is full-flavored, 7 to 20 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and let the soup cool for 5 minutes. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender (fill the jar no more than half full and vent the lid, topping it with a folded kitchen towel to prevent hot splashes).  I used an immersion blender and it was so easy!  Wipe the pan clean and put the soup back into the pan.

Add the buttermilk and 1/2 tsp. of the vinegar. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings with more salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed.

Ladle into 8 soup bowls and garnish each serving with 1 to 2 tsp. chopped basil.