Southwestern Asparagus, Corn, and Tomatillo Soup (with cashew cream)

Southwestern Asparagus, Corn, and Tomatillo Soup (with cashew cream)

2 yellow onions sliced into thin crescents
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp canola or light olive oil
1/4 cup sherry
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 bunch asparagus, tough stems removed, sliced into 1" lengths
2 ears of corn, kernels removed from cob
4-6 tomatillos, peeled
2 quarts vegetable stock
4 Tbsp yellow or white miso
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves
1 Tbsp fresh marjoram or oregano
salt to taste

In a soup pot, saute the onions and garlic in the oil over medium heat until softened and light brown, about five-seven minutes.

Add the sherry followed by the cumin and bay leaves.

Add the asparagus, corn, tomatillos, and vegetable stock. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. The asparagus and tomatillos should be very soft.

Add the miso and cayenne and puree the soup in batches, adding the cilantro, parsely, and oregano to each batch.

Return the soup to the pot or to a serving bowl and adjust the salt. Serve each portion with 1 Tbsp cashew cream (see below).

Millennium uses cashew cream spiced a million different ways in their dishes. Don't be lazy and not make this part... it's really good and makes the soup, which is already amazing, even better!

Cashew Cream

1/2 cup raw cashews
2/3 cup water
1 Tbsp yellow or white miso
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth (I usually don't add all the water at once, so I can keep it a little thick, since you want it to be like thick cream). This will keep in the fridge for a few days. You can add chipotles, or basil and garlic, or sesame and wasabi, or pretty much whatever you want to this to make it have the flavors you want if you want to use it for other dishes (but it is really nice plain, too).

(courtesy of Pink)