Roasted Asparagus Soup with Trumpet Mushrooms and Sorrel
Author: 
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 1½ pounds asparagus
  • 3 tablespoons ghee, divided
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ghee
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 white fleshed sweet potato, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 1 or 2 pinches of cayenne pepper
  • 1½ quarts homemade chicken stock
  • ¼ pound trumpet mushrooms (see Notes)
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • A few fresh sorrel leaves, cut into thin ribbons (see Notes)
  • White truffle oil, for drizzling on the soup (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet or other baking dish with parchment paper.
  3. Wash the asparagus to make sure that all of the sand is removed (you don’t want a crunchy soup) and snap off the bottom ¼ to ⅓ of the stalks.
  4. Melt 1 tablespoon of the ghee. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with the melted ghee and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
  5. Spread out the asparagus on the prepared baking sheet.
  6. Place in the oven and roast for half an hour, or until the asparagus is tender.
  7. While the asparagus is roasting, melt 1 tablespoon of ghee in a large soup pot over medium heat.
  8. Add the onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, until soft.
  9. Add the sweet potato, cayenne pepper, and stock.
  10. Simmer for half an hour or until the sweet potato is soft.
  11. While the soup is simmering, slice the trumpet mushrooms into small coins, about ⅛ inch thick. Sauté them in the rest of the ghee over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
  12. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
  13. Remove the asparagus stalks from the soup and discard. Cut the roasted asparagus into 2-inch pieces and add to the soup.
  14. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
  15. Remove the soup from heat and, with an immersion blender, blend the soup.
  16. You can also do this with a food processor or blender, working in batches.
  17. Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  18. When ready to serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the mushrooms, sorrel, and a drizzle of truffle oil.
Notes
If trumpet mushrooms are hard to find, substitute another type of mushroom, such as oyster or button. You can substitute an orange-fleshed sweet potato, but it will change the color of the soup. If you are unable to find sorrel, use a squirt of fresh lemon juice.
Recipe by Sustainable Dish at https://sustainabledish.com/roasted-asparagus-soup-trumpet-mushrooms-sorrel-2/