I enjoy a challenge and zero waste cooking. When it comes to food, I consider it a triumph to find a new way to use something I might have otherwise discarded. I love all kinds of vegetables, but one thing I cannot stand is overcooked asparagus. I have always tossed out the woody ends of asparagus because I imagined the length of time cooking them would fill the kitchen with an unpleasant odor.
So I am finally experimenting with that…I saved some in a freezer bag along with all of my other vegetable ends: onions, carrots, celery, kale stems etc.
Why? Because my husband has a problem with a tooth right now and it’s difficult to chew, so pureed soups have become a thing around here. He was supposed to go to the dentist today to get it fixed, but his dentist unexpectedly had to leave early and postponed the appointment. So that means it’s time for more soup!
Pureed Soup to the Rescue
Fortunately, I had a couple of cans of cannellini beans (white Italian beans) in the pantry and I can puree them for a simple meal in this situation. I thought I could use some chicken broth to thin it out into a soup, but my freezer bag of vegetable ends was full, so I put them into a pot full of water to boil for zero waste cooking. Guess what! I have so many other veggies in that pot that after an hour of cooking, the asparagus does not smell offensive.
Happy with the stock yielded from all vegetable ends including asparagus. After sautéing some garlic in olive oil, I carefully poured in the stock away from myself. Hot oil and liquid do not mix well. So be sure not to splatter yourself. Added some ground sage and French thyme. Salt, of course.
Pureed the beans with some olive oil and whisked into the pot. Simmered for a few minutes and dinner was served.
I know it doesn’t look like much, but it tasted good and served its purpose. Why? Because there is no chewing involved…and who knew that the asparagus would lend such a pleasant nuance reminiscent of a cream of asparagus soup? I think I might be onto something…Cooking without a recipe is so much fun.
Here are the previous two soups we had that required minimal chewing, in case you need to soothe a tooth:
For more on using miso, please read Miso Adaptable.
What other pureed soups have you made?