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Asparagus Soup

A historical recipe from Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches, by Eliza Leslie (1840).

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A historical recipe

Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches, by Eliza Leslie (1840). Project Gutenberg eBook #9624.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

Also printed in: Miss Leslie's Complete Cookery Directions for Cookery, in Its Various Branches, by Eliza Leslie (1853).

Ingredients 2 ingredients

  1. five bunches of asparagus
  2. a handful of spinach

Possible health benefits

General information, not medical advice.

  1. Asparagus High in vitamin K · High in protein · Source of folate · +2

    High in vitamin K · 42 µg per 100 g, 55% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Vitamin K contributes to normal blood clotting.
    • Vitamin K contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

    Vitamin K is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. It’s important for blood clotting and healthy bones and also has other functions in the body. NIH fact sheet

    High in protein · 2.2 g per 100 g, 44% of the energy from protein

    • Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

    Source of folate · 52 µg per 100 g, 26% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Folate contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy.
    • Folate contributes to normal amino acid synthesis.
    • Folate contributes to normal blood formation.
    5 more authorised claims
    • Folate contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism.
    • Folate contributes to normal psychological function.
    • Folate contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Folate contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
    • Folate has a role in the process of cell division.

    Folate is a B-vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Your body needs folate to make DNA and other genetic material. NIH fact sheet

    Source of iron · 2.1 mg per 100 g, 15% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Iron contributes to normal cognitive function.
    • Iron contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin.
    4 more authorised claims
    • Iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body.
    • Iron contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Iron contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
    • Iron has a role in the process of cell division.

    Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles. NIH fact sheet

    Source of copper · 0.2 mg per 100 g, 19% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Copper contributes to maintenance of normal connective tissues.
    • Copper contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Copper contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
    5 more authorised claims
    • Copper contributes to normal hair pigmentation.
    • Copper contributes to normal iron transport in the body.
    • Copper contributes to normal skin pigmentation.
    • Copper contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Copper contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Copper is a mineral that you need to stay healthy. Your body uses copper to carry out many important functions, including making energy, connective tissues, and blood vessels. NIH fact sheet

    Nutrients per 100 g of “Asparagus, raw”, USDA FoodData Central.

  2. Spinacia oleracea High in vitamin A · High in vitamin K · High in vitamin C · +7

    High in vitamin A · 469 µg per 100 g, 59% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Vitamin A contributes to normal iron metabolism.
    • Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal mucous membranes.
    • Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
    3 more authorised claims
    • Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal vision.
    • Vitamin A contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Vitamin A has a role in the process of cell specialisation.

    Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Vitamin A is important for normal vision, the immune system, reproduction, and growth and development. NIH fact sheet

    High in vitamin K · 483 µg per 100 g, 644% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Vitamin K contributes to normal blood clotting.
    • Vitamin K contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

    Vitamin K is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. It’s important for blood clotting and healthy bones and also has other functions in the body. NIH fact sheet

    High in vitamin C · 28 mg per 100 g, 35% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of blood vessels.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of bones.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage.
    11 more authorised claims
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of gums.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of teeth.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal psychological function.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the regeneration of the reduced form of vitamin E.
    • Vitamin C increases iron absorption.

    Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble nutrient found in some foods. In the body, it acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals. NIH fact sheet

    High in folate · 194 µg per 100 g, 97% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Folate contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy.
    • Folate contributes to normal amino acid synthesis.
    • Folate contributes to normal blood formation.
    5 more authorised claims
    • Folate contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism.
    • Folate contributes to normal psychological function.
    • Folate contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Folate contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
    • Folate has a role in the process of cell division.

    Folate is a B-vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Your body needs folate to make DNA and other genetic material. NIH fact sheet

    High in manganese · 0.9 mg per 100 g, 45% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Manganese contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Manganese contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
    • Manganese contributes to the normal formation of connective tissue.
    1 more authorised claims
    • Manganese contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Manganese is a mineral that your body needs to stay healthy. Your body uses manganese to make energy and protect your cells from damage. NIH fact sheet

    High in protein · 2.9 g per 100 g, 50% of the energy from protein

    • Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

    Source of vitamin E · 2.0 mg per 100 g, 17% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient found in many foods. In the body, it acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals. NIH fact sheet

    Source of potassium · 558 mg per 100 g, 28% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Potassium contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
    • Potassium contributes to normal muscle function.
    • Potassium contributes to the maintenance of normal blood pressure.

    Potassium is a mineral found in many foods. Your body needs potassium for almost everything it does, including proper kidney and heart function, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission. NIH fact sheet

    Source of magnesium · 79 mg per 100 g, 21% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
    • Magnesium contributes to electrolyte balance.
    • Magnesium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    7 more authorised claims
    • Magnesium contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
    • Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function.
    • Magnesium contributes to normal protein synthesis.
    • Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function.
    • Magnesium contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
    • Magnesium contributes to the maintenance of normal teeth.
    • Magnesium has a role in the process of cell division.

    Magnesium is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. Magnesium is important for many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure and making protein, bone, and DNA. NIH fact sheet

    Source of iron · 2.7 mg per 100 g, 19% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Iron contributes to normal cognitive function.
    • Iron contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin.
    4 more authorised claims
    • Iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body.
    • Iron contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Iron contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
    • Iron has a role in the process of cell division.

    Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles. NIH fact sheet

    Nutrients per 100 g of “Spinach, raw”, USDA FoodData Central.

Claims: EU Register of health claims (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, © European Union, CC BY 4.0), shown only where the ingredient meets the claim's conditions (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). Nutrients: USDA FoodData Central (CC0). Facts: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (public domain).

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. Asparagus soup may be made in a similar manner to that of green peas.
  2. You must have four or five bunches of asparagus.
  3. Cut off the green tops, and put half of them into the soup, after the meat has been boiled to pieces and strained out.
  4. The asparagus must be boiled till quite dissolved, and till it has given a green colour to the soup.
  5. Then take the remainder of the asparagus tops (which must all this time have been lying in cold water) and put them into the soup, and let them boil about twenty minutes.
  6. Serve it up with small squares of toast in the tureen.
  7. You may heighten the green of this soup by adding the juice of a handful of spinach, pounded in a mortar and strained.
  8. Or you may colour it with the juice of boiled spinach squeezed through a cloth.
  9. The spinach juice should be put in fifteen or ten minutes before you take up the soup, as a short boiling in it will take off the peculiar taste.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Saucepan
  • Mortar and pestle
  • Chef's knife
  • Sieve
Source Public domain in the USA
Credit

From Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches, by Eliza Leslie (1840). Digitised by Project Gutenberg, eBook #9624 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9624). Public domain in the USA; its status may differ elsewhere.

What was changed: As printed, from the book's text; Project Gutenberg's header and licence removed. Ingredient lines were read out of the text by a program. A historical recipe, not current advice.