This has been on the test cooking schedule FOR EVER. Mostly because I didn’t really like the sound of Asparagus Soup, but whaddya know? It was good! Quite subtle and sophisticated really, and sort of fluffy. Bubbly. Mostly because I blended it up in my soup machine, I think. As the only other recipe I have for Ricardo in my collection is Mexican Calves Brain Soup (!) I think that this one will be going in the Columbo cookbook when I’ve fiddled around with it a bit.
I guess most folk these days would use FRESH asparagus, but I’m eating like the stars, so I do what they do!
I had to guess the quantity of asparagus. How many grams of asparagus would be in 2 x 16oz cans in the late 60s? What would the ratio of water to asparagus be in each can? How heavy were the cans? This kind of conundrum is the kind of thing that keeps me awake at night.
I couldn’t find tinned asparagus here in the UK, so I went for 3 jars of Green Giant, and halved the recipe. Drained weight of asparagus in each jar is 190g so I had approximately 570g. I think that was about right. So if you were making Ricardo’s whole recipe, around 1,140g drained asparagus, so 6 jars. Oof!
Don’t tell Heather but I have HIDDEN AWAY these cleaned up jam jars for pickle making. Nice shape… She’ll be swooping up from Brighton like Bishop Brennan soon for another Jam Jar Rampage. She made me get rid of about 80 last time. She’ll never find them this time though. They are all SECRETED amongst all my other crap.
Half the recipe made about four small servings of soup. I think this would be a rather elegant soup to serve at a dinner party. From a classy tureen. I fantasise about having a soup tureen, especially one like this.
Ever since I saw one a bit like this in a photo in the FABULOUS tonight at 7.30 cookbook by Kristen Frederickson and Avery Curran, I have wanted one VERY BADLY.
MY NEW FAVOURITE COOKBOOK
For this soup, perhaps I could get a soup tureen shaped like an asparagus?
I do have this lovely item, which I bought in a charity shop in Muswell Hill and have never used… What is it FOR?!
Putting spring onions on when you are having a summer salad buffet type thing?
I went on a flight of fancy just now around eBay and am tempted to buy this, because it’s so awful…
…and only £1.75… But then I would have two things for putting spring onions in, for the kind of buffet lunch parties I never have, and that would be daft. I think it’s time I went to bed…
Ricardo wouldn’t have this kind of thing around the house would he? Far too sophisticated!
My best guess is a spoon rest?? And I think you were right not to buy the spring onion pot, even if it is only £1.75…
HAZEL! You are a genius. A spoon rest. Of course – ha ha! Now I can’t wait to make a cake so I can use it, instead of getting cake splatter (oops, I mean batter) all over the kitchen.
I think you are right about the spring onion pot too. His gruesome face is stuck in my head now, but I must resist…
I think it’s the moustache that’s particularly…unfortunate…
Oh Hazel, you are making me want to BUY IT!
A spoon rest for sure… growing up, I always saw them displayed on everyone’s stove top…but NEVER used. Kind of like those “guest towels” your mother kept in the bathroom that you could never use!
The spring onion pot is adorable!
Aha, see Hazel, Greg thinks it is adorable. Maybe I should buy it for you Greg – ha ha! When you are least expecting it, a spring onion pot might arrive chez vous in Greece!
See that Greg? I’ve had that spring onion pot for 17 months and TODAY it finally found its rightful place on your window ledge!
He’s BEAUTIFUL! I’ve named him Alastair (after Alastair Cook). A WONDERFUL addition to my kitchen! Thank you!!!
It makes me so happy to think of him sitting there watching you cook!