Roasted Asparagus + White Bean Soup Two Ways

I really like the soups we’ve experimented with for the Food Matter’s Project. If you are new to my site, I’m cooking through Mark Bittman’s The Food Matters Cookbook with a fantastic group of food bloggers and sharing our creative versions once a week.

This roasted asparagus + white bean soup (chosen by Adrienne at AdrienneEats)  is easy and quick, perfect for a weekday. The recipe has options. To purée or not? Stick with the simple herbs called for or follow my desire to spice it up? I puréed half and “mashed” half and stuck with the called for herbs.

::: Puréed Roasted Asparagus + White Bean Soup :::

It is amazing how different the two versions tasted.  I  thought for sure the flavor of the asparagus puréed would have been the winner for me, and don’t get me wrong it was pretty good. {Think pea soup texture, asparagus flavor.} The original recipe, where you mash the soup and add more beans and chopped roasted asparagus, had more complex and layered flavors and interesting textures.

On a personal note that has nada to do with soup, April was my first month in my new role at work and I am loving it. I’m part of a small team in charge of global sales training programs; live sales webinars, interviews with clients and top sales people, and creating methods to share sales and management knowledge within the company.

The best part, I’m not traveling 90% of the time for the first time in 3 years and I get to be home with Peter! I have a real schedule at home and it feels great. I do miss my offices, we have such an incredible culture at my company and I have inspiring and motivating relationships with the teams I was in charge of all over Canada and the West Coast. I will still get to do that, just in a different capacity now and I can work full time from Miami.

I will also blog more because I wont constantly be wiped out from traveling! THOUGH… I am heading to San Francisco today for the week and Orlando for the weekend. Ok, ok, so I can’t really STOP traveling.

Roasted Asparagus + White Bean Soup Two Ways

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon mined garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3 cups cooked or canned white beans, drained
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 1/2 pounds asparagus
• good quality Parmesan, for topping
• homemade whole wheat croutons, for topping

Full original recipe found HERE

Once finished with original recipe: purée half with an immersion blender, in a blender, or in a food processor. Serve a small bowl of each and top with Parmesan and croutons.

Head to our Food Matter’s Project blog to see the many renditions of this week’s recipe.

::: keelymarie:::