Nectar of the Soup Gods

Okay, maybe that's going a little overboard, but this asparagus and rice soup with pancetta was seriously amazing. And with so few ingredients! Comfort food at its best, it takes your average chicken and rice soup and transforms it into a creamy, complex dish perfect for a cold night. Heck, I might even make it in the summer. The asparagus is divided and added to the soup at different times during the cooking process to achieve multiple textures. I can't say I noticed more than a couple different textures but perhaps my palette isn't refined enough. We served it with homemade ciabatta bread, sprinkled with pecorino and toasted.

Asparagus and Rice Soup with Pancetta

from Sippity Sup

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

salt

red pepper flakes

1/2 cup arborio rice (the kind you use for risotto)

4 cups chicken stock

1-2 bundles asparagus spears (about 3 cups when chopped)

1/2 cup pancetta, diced

fresh ground black pepper

pecorino (or similar) cheese and very good olive oil for garnish (optional)

Heat a 4-5 quart Dutch oven (or heavy pot if you're me and still dream about owning a Dutch oven) over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup olive oil. When hot, add the onions, celery, a big pinch of salt, and red pepper flakes to taste. Cook, stirring often until translucent (about 12 minutes). Add the rice to the pan and gently fry it for 4-5 minutes. Do not allow it to color. Add the stock, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the asparagus tips and slice them into quarters lengthwise and crosswise; set aside. Slice the rest of the spears on the diagonal between 1/4" and 1/8" thick.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat then add the pancetta and 1/4 of the asparagus slices. Allow them to sizzle in the pan (feel free to add a bit of oil if the pancetta doesn't create enough grease of its own). Spread them out to a single layer (if possible) and let brown. Once the edges are brown, toss and add another 1/4 of the asparagus slices. Toss then remove from the skillet and set aside.

Add 1/2 of the remaining raw asparagus to the pot (after the 12 minutes) and cook for 10 minutes more. Finally, add the rest of the raw asparagus, including the tips, and the fried pancetta/asparagus mixture. Raise the heat to bring soup to a boil. Add fresh black pepper to taste and serve immediately.

For the ciabatta recipe, click here.