Asparagus, fresh peas, artichokes — they deserve the same attention for soups as we give butternut squash and root vegetables in the fall, don’t they? I have to admit to not using these spring vegetables in soups very much. I like just eating them, or using them in pasta. But there’s just something so comforting about sipping soup on a cold day, and as I mentioned yesterday, cool-ish weather lasts well into “summer” here in western WA.
I gathered up some spring veg soup ideas to play with this spring. I’ve got good broth and the ideas I listed yesterday, but now I have even more choices! This could actually be bad LOL I’m going to run out of broth fast.
My favorite idea, the one that really captured my attention, is this Spring Vegetable Stew from Eating Well magazine. It features a lot of spring vegetables, not just one: artichokes, fresh peas, leeks, the newest of tender carrots… it calls for vegetable broth, but why not use chicken broth or, hey! turkey broth if you have some? Like I do!
Next on my list is French Spring Soup. Asparagus and spinach are featured, but there are ingredients that will fill you up, too: potatoes, carrots, and rice. I would find myself adding herbs to this recipe, most likely.
This one! This one has bacon! Bacon, mushrooms, and peas. I think you could add some cheese to this soup if you wanted to change it up, too. Spring Mushroom Soup could also be made with crimini mushrooms, or an assortment of your favorite mushrooms instead of the listed button mushrooms.
This article from the NY Times had me drooling for this Fresh Pea Soup — possibly the best says Mark Bittman and he would know! I am not a huge fan of tarragon, but I can see where it would work perfectly here. I’m planting peas NOW!
And although the title of this Stuffed Artichoke Soup sounds both intriguing and like a lot of hard work, a big scoop of the “stuffing” is actually placed on top of the serving of each bowl of artichoke, leek, and potato creaminess — you aren’t actually stuffing artichokes. I wish there were a picture at Giada Delaurentiis’s site, but there’s not.
There you have it! Don’t abandon soup just because of the promise of sunshine and warm weather! You don’t have to serve it as the whole meal, but as a starter, a side, or just for lunch these spring soups are great ideas for adding vegetables and variety to your table!
Gail
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