Chilled Asparagus Soup with Toasted Pine Nuts + Mint

Who else loves a chilled soup?! I'm all about a gazpacho, but have been making an effort to add more greens to my meals, which is how this chilled asparagus soup came to be! This summery dish has a lot of layers: creamy, fresh, savory and spiced! It's a great meal to whip up for a quick weeknight dinner or meal prep for the week ahead. Serve with some crusty bread and an arugula salad and you've got yourself a winner!

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 bunches of asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2” pieces

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 2 1/2 cups water

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup dry white wine (such as pinot grigio)

• Salt + pepper to taste

Garnish:

• Dash of good extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup mint, chopped

• 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

• Pinch of chili flakes

Directions:

1. Toast pine nuts in a sauté pan over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Set aside.

2. Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat and melt the butter. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus and sauté for 4-5 minutes.

3. Add water plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt to the asparagus and cook covered for 10 minutes, until the asparagus is tender, but still a vibrant green.

4. In one to two batches, puree the soup in a blender. Once pureed, add the soup back to the Dutch oven and warm over medium-low heat. Add the wine and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Allow soup to cool completely and chill in the refrigerator.

7. When ready to serve, garnish with a dash of olive oil, chopped mint, toasted pine nuts and a pinch of chili flakes.