The Perfect Summer Soup

I have been really anxious to make a summer soup lately, but I haven't found anything that sounds appetizing.  The right balance of light and fulfilling is really hard to accomplish, but as I browsed the pages of my favorite sites, I happened upon this one for Asparagus soup.  You would never know that it wasn't cream based because the asparagus and leeks create a lovely velvety texture that is a perfect compliment to the tangy goat cheese.  Try this one out, you are going to love it!

Asparagus Soup with Herbed Goat Cheese

Courtesy of Giada de Laurentis

Ingredients

1/2 cup (4 ounces) Goat Cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons fresh Basil Leaves, chopped

Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Cooking Spray

2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

1 large leek (white and light green part only), thinly sliced

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 pounds medium Asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Directions

Goat cheese: Line a small backing sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Using a fork, in a small bowl, combine the goat cheese and basil till smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Using a 1/2 ounce cooking scoop or a round tablespoon measure sprayed vegetable cooking spray, scoop the goat cheese into balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.  

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  

In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat.  Add the leeks and cook, stirring constantly until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the broth, asparagus and basil.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes.  Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Keep the soup warm over low heat.  

To serve: Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with the herbed goat cheese.