The mild flavour of asparagus is beautifully complemented by the pungency of garlic and the umami note of ‘nooch’.
Ingredients:
1 onion, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4-5 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (I make my own by simmering vegetable scraps such as kale stems, fennel fronds, onion skins, carrot and zucchini tips etc in water, then straining and discarding the vegetable scraps; stock can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week or frozen for later use)
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and diced
2 medium zucchinis, trimmed and diced
3 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3 cm pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried dill
3/4 cup savoury yeast flakes/nutritional yeast
Method:
Place a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches the ‘mercury ball stage’ (i.e. water flicked into the pan forms into a ball and rolls around the pan before evaporating).
Add onion and sauté briskly until it starts to brown. Add garlic and sauté for 20 seconds.
Carefully add 1/2 cup stock and use a wooden spoon to lift cooking juices off the bottom of the pan. Sauté until stock has evaporated and onion is tender.
Add potatoes and 3 1/2 cups stock, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes. Add zucchini and simmer for another 6 minutes. Add asparagus, pepper and dill, and extra stock if soup is too thick, and simmer for 8 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
Remove soup from the heat, add yeast and purée using an immersion blender, or allow to cool for 10 minutes then transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth but still a little chunky.
Serve soup garnished with a sprinkle of savoury yeast flakes.
