APARAGUS GAZPACHO VERDE

APARAGUS GAZPACHO VERDE image

Yield Serves 2 as a dinner first course or light lunch.

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 small onion
2 fresh tomatillos, husked OR 2 small-medium ripe green tomatoes
1 Japanese cucumber
8 medium fresh green asparagus spears (woody bottoms trimmed away)
1 cup vegetable stock
2 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs of Italian parsley
2 sprigs of cilantro
croutons as desired

Steps:

1. Slice the onion and soak in some cool water to take away the bite. 2. Quarter and seed the tomatillos or tomatoes. Hold the cucumber under running water and scrub the skin clean with your thumbs. Cut into 1/2 in lengths. Cut the asparagus tips off and cut the rest of the asparagus into 1 inch lengths. 3. In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Add the asparagus, except for the tips, and parboil for about 1 minute. Remove the asparagus from the stock and plunge into ice water, then set aside on a paper towel. Add the asparagus tips to the boiling stock and parboil 30 seconds, plunge into ice water and set aside on paper towels. 4. Drain the onion and pat dry. Put the onion, tomatillos or tomatoes, cucumber, aparagus (except tips), garlic, parsley and cilantro into a food processor, pulse until you get a rough puree. Add the stock into the mixture a little at a time, pulsing as you do, until you reach the desired thinness (It should still be fairly thick). 5. Divide the mixture into serving bowls, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour. 6. Remove the bowls from the refrigerator, remove the plastic, and sprinkle with your favorite croutons as desired. Take the reserved asparagus tips and stand them point up in the gazpacho. Serve.