Cold White Asparagus and Yuzu Soup With Crab Salad and Bay Leaf Salt

Name: Cold White Asparagus and Yuzu Soup With Crab Salad and Bay Leaf Salt
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter; 2 large heads garlic, broken into cloves do not peel; 1 leek, pale green and white parts only, sliced; 3 shallots, peeled and halved; 1 bay leaf; 10 green peppercorns; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cups thinly sliced white asparagus (about 1 pound, trimmed); 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced; 1 lemon grass stalk, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces; 1 cup whole milk; ¼ vanilla bean, split and scraped; 2 tablespoons yuzu juice available at Japanese markets, fresh Meyer lemon juice or fresh lime juice, more to taste; Sea salt; freshly ground black pepper; Crab salad (see recipe); Bay leaf salt (see recipe)

Recipe from Corton

Adapted by Julia Moskin

Updated May 3, 2016

Evan Sung for The New York Times

Media 1 of 1

Total Time: An hour and a half
Rating: 4(25)
Comments: Read comments

—Julia Moskin

Featured in: At Home, at Last

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

FOR THE GARLIC STOCK

¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 large heads garlic, broken into cloves do not peel
1 leek, pale green and white parts only, sliced
3 shallots, peeled and halved
1 bay leaf
10 green peppercorns

FOR THE SOUP

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced white asparagus (about 1 pound, trimmed)
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
1 lemon grass stalk, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
1 cup whole milk
¼ vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 tablespoons yuzu juice available at Japanese markets, fresh Meyer lemon juice or fresh lime juice, more to taste
Sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Crab salad (see recipe)
Bay leaf salt (see recipe)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

FOR THE GARLIC STOCK
1. Step 1
  At least 1 day before serving, make stock: Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes; reduce heat as needed to prevent browning. Add 1 ½ quarts (6 cups) water and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool, then refrigerate, covered, overnight. Then strain, discarding vegetables and spices.
2. Step 2
  To make soup, heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and leek and cook 10 minutes, covered, stirring often and reducing heat as needed to prevent browning. Add garlic stock and lemon grass, bring to a simmer, and cook 30 minutes.
3. Step 3
  Remove lemon grass, add milk and vanilla scrapings, and blend in a blender or with an immersion blender for two minutes at high speed. Add yuzu juice and salt and pepper to taste. Strain and refrigerate until very cold. Taste before serving; adjust seasonings if needed.
4. Step 4
  To serve, divide crab salad among six chilled bowls. At the table, pour cold asparagus soup around salad. Sprinkle with bay leaf salt.

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Ratings

4 out of 5

25 user ratings

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Comments

Norma3 years ago

In the picture, the dish appears to be garnished with Miner’s Lettuce, a native winter plant found throughout California.

Jade3 years ago

Pro tip: don’t discard the leek, shallot, and garlic from the broth in step 1. Instead, strain and use the leek and shallot in a frittata, shakshuka, etc. Peel and squeeze the garlic cloves into a container with olive oil for spreading on toast.

Norma3 years ago

In the picture, the dish appears to be garnished with Miner’s Lettuce, a native winter plant found throughout California.

AV4 years ago

Delicious. I used rock shrimp instead, quickly sautéed in neutral oil. Fabulous.

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