Asparagus salad or asparagus soup?

Asparagus is very versatile, you can do just about anything with it. Eat it raw, peeling the harder outside if the stalks are thicker. Eat it grilled, stir fried, slow roasted...wrapped in bacon...

I love to make cream soups using asparagus, I also love tossing it cooked on top of salads. Today I made both soup and salad so I present you both and you can choose which one to make for yourself.

Warm Asparagus, Mango and Goat cheese salad

Serves two:

2 cups lettuce leaves
5 pieces of asparagus, cut in 4-5 parts
1 small mango, cut in thick strips
1 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
1.5 oz fine goat feta (you could use Cotija cheese for the texture)

Place lettuce leaves on the bottom of the salad bowl. Melt the ghee and cook the asparagus and mango together until slightly browned. Set aside to cool of until lightly warm, then place on top of the lettuce leaves and sprinkle with the cheese.

Fast Cream of Asparagus Soup


Serves two, twice

8 pieces of asparagus, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
handful of nuts (cashews, hazelnuts)
2 carrots, chopped
handful quinoa pasta
salt to taste
pepper to taste
4 cups of water

Bring water to boil with the vegetables and the quinoa pasta. Let them cook for 10 minutes and add the heavy cream and nuts, salt and pepper. Blend well with an immersion blender and cook for another 5 minutes. If you need extra calories cook some more chopped asparagus in ghee and pour on top before serving.

Let me know how it worked for you, the salad for me was less filling than the soup, but definitely more enjoyable.

p.s. Did you know that there are people deficient in the gene that allows the funny smell of asparagus on the way out? I personally believe such deficiency is very handy!