The Impatient Seasonal Cook

Spring is gone, but asparagus hasn’t left the supermarkets. And my craving for the stalky green continues unabated. I know I should move on to true summer produce, but asparagus, which comes from Washington state this time of year, is one of my favorite vegetables.

Aside from eating asparagus straight out of the steamer with a squeeze of lemon juice, this soup is my favorite way to enjoy it.

To go with it--and to satisfy the seasonal police--I took a suggestion from Times Test Kitchen Director Donna Deane and made a summer version of the classic winter salad normally made with pears, endive, blue cheese and walnuts. Instead of the pears, which are far from their best right now, I used juicy peaches in the peak of their season. It’s a delicious twist on a much-loved dish.

Menu / 30 Minutes or Less

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Salad of Peaches, Belgian Endive, Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Countdown

30 minutes before: Prepare asparagus and begin steaming. Begin making roux (butter-flour mixture) for soup.

25 minutes before: Puree asparagus. Add milk and stock to finish soup base.

15 minutes before: Add asparagus puree to soup base. Strain soup through sieve. Return to heat and season. Keep warm over low heat.

10 minutes before: Peel, halve, pit and slice peaches. Slice endive. Combine salad ingredients in bowl.

5 minutes before: Make salad dressing and toss with salad ingredients.

Ingredients

Shopping List

3 pounds asparagus

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans nonfat chicken broth

2 (1/4-pound) packages crumbled blue cheese

6 Belgian endive

6 peaches

2 (2-ounce) packages chopped walnuts

Walnut oil

Staples

Butter

Flour

Orange juice

Milk

Black pepper

White pepper

Salt

White wine vinegar

Chef’s Tip

Peeling peaches can be messy. An easy way to remove the skin is to ease the peaches into boiling water for about 30 seconds, then plunge into ice water. The skin slips off easily. Or pour boiling water over the fruit, let the peaches stand about 30 seconds and slip off the skin under cold running water.

SALAD OF PEACHES, BELGIAN ENDIVE, BLUE CHEESE AND WALNUTS

6 peaches

6 heads Belgian endive

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup walnut oil

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons white wine or Champagne vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

If white peaches are available, try using them instead of regular peaches. Their color and more subtle flavor is closer to that of pears, which are traditionally used in this salad.

Peel peaches (see Chef’s Tip), halve and remove pits. Cut each half into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Slice each head endive horizontally into 1/8-inch pieces, stopping 1/2 inch from root end.

Combine peaches, endive, blue cheese and walnuts in bowl.

Whisk together walnut oil, orange juice, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad and toss gently. Serve immediately.

6 servings. Each serving:

443 calories; 527 mg sodium; 17 mg cholesterol; 32 grams fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 6.10 grams fiber.

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

3 pounds asparagus

5 tablespoons butter

5 tablespoons flour

3 cups milk

3 cups nonfat chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Salt

To make this soup vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Snap off woody bottom portion of asparagus and discard.

Cook asparagus in steamer until until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Cool slightly. Puree in batches in food processor. Set aside.

Heat butter over low heat until melted. Add flour and cook, stirring continuously with wooden spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Add milk and whisk vigorously until incorporated. Continue whisking and cooking until mixture thickens to consistency of cream soup, 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth and whisk briefly to incorporate.

Add asparagus puree to milk mixture and stir well to combine.

Remove from heat and strain through fine sieve. Return soup to pan over low heat and season with white pepper and salt to taste. Serve hot.

6 servings. Each serving:

223 calories; 296 mg sodium; 35 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 1.55 grams fiber.