19
1
tablespoon cornstarch
1
1
⁄
2
cups cold water
1
teaspoon kosher salt
1
⁄
2
teaspoon white pepper
Place the parsley in the blender jar. Place cover on blender jar.
Set blender on Low and pulse until coarsely chopped, about
4 to 5 times. Remove and reserve.
Melt the butter in a medium Cuisinart
®
saucepan over medium heat.
Add onion and cook until soft but not brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add asparagus, stock, and all but 1 tablespoon of the reserved parsley.
Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low
and simmer, partially covered, until asparagus is tender, about 10 to
12 minutes.
Pour the soup through a strainer, reserving the solids and liquids.
Allow to cool 5 minutes. Place the solids in the blender jar with 1 cup
of the cooking liquid; return the remaining liquid to the saucepan. Cover
blender jar and set on Low. Turn blender on and blend until creamy
and smooth, about 25 to 30 seconds. Turn blender off. Return puréed
vegetable mixture to the saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in half-and-
half. Stir cornstarch into water, and add to soup. Add salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring often, over medium heat, until soup thickens, about 6 to
8 minutes. Do not allow to boil. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve in warmed bowls garnished with the remaining parsley.
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories 98 (59% from fat) • carb. 7g • pro. 4g • fat 7g
• sat. fat 4g • chol. 19mg • sod. 510g • calc. 56mg • fiber 2g
CREAMY POTATO LEEK SOUP
This versatile soup may be served hot or chilled.
Makes 6 servings
2
medium leeks, white and tender green only,
sliced horizontally and cut into
1
⁄
2
" pieces
1
tablespoon unsalted butter
1
small (3-4 ounce) onion, peeled and cut into
1
⁄
2
" pieces
1
⁄
4
teaspoon thyme
2
medium russet potatoes (about
3
⁄
4
pound total),
peeled, cut into 1" slices
1
1
⁄
2
cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken stock or broth
3
⁄
4
cup water
1
teaspoon kosher salt
1
⁄
2
teaspoon white pepper
3
⁄
4
cup half-and-half
Place leeks in a medium bowl and add cold water. Swirl, then let
stand for minutes. Lift leeks from the water without disturbing the
sand/sediment collected in the bowl; allow to drain completely.
Melt butter in a large Cuisinart
®
saucepan over medium heat.
Add the drained leeks, onion, and thyme. Let cook until softened,
3 to 5 minutes. Add potatoes, stock, and water; cover and bring to
a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer,
uncovered, until potatoes are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain vegetables, reserving cooking liquid. Place vegetables in blender
jar. Add 1 cup cooking liquid; return remaining cooking liquid to
saucepan. Cover blender jar. Set on High. Blend 20 to 30 seconds.
Scrape blender jar and blend 10 to 15 seconds longer, until completely
puréed and creamy smooth. Stir vegetable purée into stock in
saucepan and reheat over medium low heat. Add salt, pepper and
half-and-half.
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories 132 (37% from fat) • carb. 18g • pro. 3g • fat 6g
• sat. fat 3g • chol. 16mg • sod. 369mg • calc. 56mg • fiber 3g
Variation:
Turn this soup into Creamy Watercress Soup by adding
1 bunch watercress, washed and dried. Pick leaves and reserve.
Chop stems and measure out 1
1
⁄
2
cups. Add stems to vegetable
mixture when sautéing. Follow recipe as directed.
Stir in reserved watercress leaves along with the half-and-half.
Serve hot or chilled.
