Creamy Asparagus Soup With Seared Scallops

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 1 lb asparagus
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 shallots, minced
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 cups firmly packed chopped spinach
• 4 ounces fresh sea scallops or 4 ounces bay scallops

Recipe

• 1 snap off the tough stem ends from the asparagus spears.
• 2 cut the tips, each about 2 inches long, off 4 spears.
• 3 set the tips aside.
• 4 chop the remaining asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
• 5 bring a large pot two-thirds full of generously salted water to a boil over high heat.
• 6 add the chopped asparagus and cook until bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
• 7 using a slotted spoon or long-handled strainer, transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
• 8 when the asparagus is cool, drain and set aside.
• 9 in a heavy soup pot over medium heat, melt 3 tbs of the butter.
• 10 when the butter is just hot, add the shallots and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
• 11 add the chopped asparagus and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes.
• 12 season with salt and pepper, and stir in the cream and stock.
• 13 bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
• 14 stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes more.
• 15 transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• 16 pass the soup through a chinois into a clean saucepan and keep warm over very low heat.
• 17 season the scallops with salt and pepper.
• 18 in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 1 tbs butter.
• 19 when it is nearly smoking, add the scallops and cook until evenly browned and slightly translucent in the center, about 2 minutes per side.
• 20 divide the scallops among 2 warmed soup bowls.
• 21 add the reserved asparagus tips to the sauté pan and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes.
• 22 taste the soup and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
• 23 ladle the soup into the bowls, garnish with the asparagus tips and serve immediately.