Asparagus Soup with Tsp Lemon Juice

Serves 6 in about 40 minutes. Sour cream goes in first, and flour finishes the pot.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs asparagus, cut in 2" pieces
• 4 tbsp butter, unsalted
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable) low sodium
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt (or 1 tsp table salt)
• 1 ½ cups whole milk, divided
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Fresh ground pepper

Method

1. Wash and cut the asparagus, discarding the ends that are tough and stringy. keep it nearby.
2. Turn on the Sauté setting. When hot, add the butter and the onion. Simmer for a few minutes, while stirring now and then.
3. Tip in the asparagus. Cook, while stirring now and then, until softened.
4. Stir in the broth and salt.
5. Turn off the sauté setting.
6. Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
7. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select 7 minutes. High Pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
8. When the cook cycle has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 10 minutes (10 instant natural release). Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
9. When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid.
10. Use an immersion blender to puree the hot soup.
11. Tip in 1 cup of the milk.
12. Turn the sauté setting back on.
13. Beat together the remaining 1/2 cup of milk with the flour to make a slurry. When the soup starts to simmer, whisk in the slurry.
14. Turn off the pot.
15. Ladle out a little of the soup and mix with the sour cream to temper it. Then stir it into the soup.
16. Mix in the lemon juice.
17. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
18. Plate hot or chilled. Garnish with fresh cracked pepper.

More instant pot ideas are in the instant pot collection.