Cheddar Asparagus Soup

Submitted by Leslie in Texas

"This comes from The Court House and Jail Restaurant in Woodstock, Illinois. It appeared in the R.S.V.P. Letters to the Editor section of a June 1984 Bon Apetit."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter (3/4 stick)
• 3⁄4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 3⁄4 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups rich chicken broth, heated to a simmer (preferably homemade)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crumbled bay leaf
• 1⁄4 cup sherry wine
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pinch dry mustard
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 lb small asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 10 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped

directions

1. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until tender but not browned, about 8 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low, add flour and cook, stirring frequently, until frothy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Blend in chicken stock and bay leaf; reduce heat to medium-low.
5. Add Sherry,hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire, dry mustard, and freshly ground pepper to taste and simmer 20 minutes.
6. Add asparagus and continue cooking until tender, about 10 minutes.
7. Stir in cheese and parsley and cook until cheese is melted, 5 to 10 more minutes.
8. Ladle soup into heated bowls and serve immediately.

Reviews

[Annz Recipez]

I love this soup! I didn't have any cheddar on hand and I wanted to lighten it up a bit so I cut the butter to 1/3 the amount and I substituted some velveeta light and Laughing Cow queso alfresco and chipotle for the cheddar. Also I replaced about 1/3 of the broth with milk for a creamier texture. I found the taste pure bliss.

 

[iris5555]

Very nice soup. Rich and cheesy and very fillling. I did have a bit of a problem with step 3 as the mixture never got "frothy" so I wondered if I did something wrong or missed an ingredient. It didn't seem to matter as the soup tasted just fine.