Creamy Asparagus Soup With Seared Scallops - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb asparagus
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 shallots, minced
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups firmly packed chopped spinach
4 ounces fresh sea scallops or 4 ounces bay scallops

Preparation

Snap off the tough stem ends from the asparagus spears.
Cut the tips, each about 2 inches long, off 4 spears.
Set the tips aside.
Chop the remaining asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
Bring a large pot two-thirds full of generously salted water to a boil over high heat.
Add the chopped asparagus and cook until bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon or long-handled strainer, transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
When the asparagus is cool, drain and set aside.
In a heavy soup pot over medium heat, melt 3 Tbs of the butter.
When the butter is just hot, add the shallots and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the chopped asparagus and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the cream and stock.
Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes more.
Transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Pass the soup through a chinois into a clean saucepan and keep warm over very low heat.
Season the scallops with salt and pepper.
In a small saute pan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 1 Tbs butter.
When it is nearly smoking, add the scallops and cook until evenly browned and slightly translucent in the center, about 2 minutes per side.
Divide the scallops among 2 warmed soup bowls.
Add the reserved asparagus tips to the saute pan and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into the bowls, garnish with the asparagus tips and serve immediately.