Asparagus Soup al Freddo

Kitchen Magic



Sympathetic magic is not about making someone feel sorry for you. It's a magic that relies on two magical laws: The Law of Similarity and the Law of Contagion. Voodoo dolls are probably the most obvious version of sympathetic magic the small figurine is similar to the person to be affected and the use of something such as a lock of hair or nail clippings make use of contagion -- something once connected remains connected.

So what does this have to do with cooking? In this case it explains why asparagus was considered an aphrodisiac. There's the obvious similarity between an asparagus spear and certain male anatomical features, but I wonder if, beyond that, the speed with which asparagus grows isn't also a factor?

Under ideal circumstances

a spear can grow 10 to 12 inches in a 24 hour period. And six to eight inches isn't uncommon. Asparagus is also prolific during the height of its growing season with each crown putting up three to six spears at a time.

To grow asparagus you typically buy crowns, which are bundles of roots about a year old. These are planted in a shallow trench five to six inches deep with good drainage. If I remember correctly from my boyhood, my father plowed two furrows. I'd guess they were about 12 or 14 inches deep and about 30 feet long. These were then filled with rotten hay or straw and covered with a layer of dirt. The crowns, bare roots, were placed every 12 inches or so and then covered with more dirt and a top layer of mulch.

Until recently experts recommended skipping the harvest at the end of the first year, but some now encourage it saying it will promote more spear growth in later years.

An asparagus bed will produce for anywhere from 10 to 20 years, with each crown producing about 1/2 pound of spears per season, with minimal care. Allow the spears to mature at the end of the season -- to feed the next year's growth -- and when they die back but them down and mulch. That's about all it takes.

Female plants produce fatter, more flavorful spears, but fewer of them and spread seeds that germinate as weeds. Male plants produce skinnier spears but more of them and so a number of all-male hybrids have been developed.

Male or female, the bottom of the spears tend to be woody. You can cut off the ends, but the better technique is to bend the spears and they'll break precisely at the edible point. But **don't throw away the bottoms. Collect them in a plastic freezer bag until you have a pound or a pound and a half and then make soup.

Cold Asparagus Soup

1 1/2 lb asparagus woody ends
4 c chicken stock
1 ea sm onion -- peeled and quartered
1 lb asparagus spears without woody ends -- cut into 1" pieces
2 md leeks, white part only -- chopped
2 tbsp butter
1/2 ea lemon -- juiced
2 tbsp minced summer savory
1 c cultured buttermilk
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
salt to taste

Put woody ends and onion quarters in a soup pot with chicken stock and bring to a vigorous simmer. Cook for one hour. Discard solids.

Melt butter over medium heat, add leeks, and sauté until translucent.

Return soup base to stove over medium heat, add leeks, and bring to simmer. Add remaining asparagus and cook until just done -- about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add savory, pepper, and salt. Allow to cool. Puree soup in a blender, food processor or with an immersion blender. Add buttermilk, taste, and adjust seasonings.

Refrigerate for about four hours before serving. Serves six.

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