Asparagus Soup

Here is another wonderful fresh vegetable soup.
I modified it from a recipe I found in The Cook's Encyclopedia of Vegetarian Cooking to make it low fat and vegan.

1 pound young asparagus
6 shallots (or you could use 3/4 cup chopped onion)
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup plain soy milk
1 tablespoon flour
salt and pepper to taste

Cut off about 1 1/2 inch off the tops of the asparagus and set aside.  Cut the rest of the asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces, making sure to discard ends that might look tough.

Spray a large sauce pan with cooking spray and heat. Slice the shallots, and add them to the pan, stirring to prevent them from scorching.  Add about 1/2 cup of the broth, a little at a time, and continue cooking until the shallots are soft. Add the asparagus pieces (not the tops) and saute for a couple of minutes.  Add the rest of the broth and the lemon juice and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the asparagus is quite soft.  Pour the mixture into a blender and process until smooth.  If you like, strain it to remove any tough fibers.  Return to the pan. Add the reserved asparagus tops and simmer until they are soft (about another 10 minutes).  Add the flour to the soy milk and mix until smooth.  Add to the asparagus mixture and heat through.  Serve.

If you are not concerned about dairy or fat, substitute 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup light cream for the soy milk (that's what the original recipe called for, but really this version is yummy without the added fat.)