Cream of asparagus soup [vegetarian]

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I've posted a recipe, but we have had so many leftovers that I couldn't bring myself to keep cooking. Anyway, it is now time to re stock the fridge, so here we go! This soup is lightly creamy and flavorful, as well as cheap to make. Here we go!

Ingredients:

1. 6 cups of broth/stock

2. two sticks celery, chopped

3. one carrot, chopped

4. one large clove garlic, chopped

5. one shallot/1/4 cup onion, chopped

6. rosemary and bay leaf

7. salt and fresh ground black pepper

8. 2 tbsp oil

9. 1/2 lb asparagus

10. 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk

Heat your oil in a soup pot. 

add the shallot and garlic, let it sweat on medium heat for about 8 minutes. 

now, add the carrot and celery! (mirepoix)

Take the asparagus....

and chop off the bottoms. 

save them in your bag of veggie trimmings to make your own broth with--that recipe is listed on my blog as well!

then chop the asparagus into 1" slices. 

dump it into the garlic/shallot/carrot/celery mixture. 

let it cook for about 5 mns. 

add lots of salt and pepper. 

now add the broth. I had pre-made veggie stock (from my older post on my blog) or you can add a box of veggie or chicken broth. 

the asparagus will float to the top. 

cover and bring to a boil. 

boiling!

now turn it down to low..

and add some rosemary and bay leaves. (if you only have dried, thats okay). 

simmer for 30 mns, until asparagus is tender. 

now, if you used fresh herbs, take the rosemary and bay leaf out. they are pretty strong on their own to remain in the soup. 

get your blender locked and loaded. (if you only have a regular blender, transfer the soup to the blender in batches and blend it that way)

and blend it until smooth!

add about half a cup of heavy cream, or milk. or skip this step if you want to be vegan. I won't complain. 

add some more pepper. 

serve with some warm sourdough.