Carrot soup with goat cheese and green asparagus

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 500 g carrot(s)
• 3 shallots
• 200 g potatoes
• 60 g butter
• 2 star anise
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 400 ml carrot juice
• 800 ml vegetable stock
• 1 bunch of green asparagus
• 150 g goat cheese (goat cheese roll)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

Peel the carrots, halve them lengthwise, and cut into thin strips. Peel the shallots, halve them lengthwise, and cut into thin rings. Peel the potatoes, wash them, and cut them into small cubes. Heat the butter in a saucepan and sauté the diced vegetables and star anise until translucent. Deglaze with the white wine, vegetable stock, and carrot juice. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered over low heat for 25 minutes. Remove the star anise from the pan and puree the soup finely with a hand blender. Strain it through a sieve into another pan and season with salt and pepper. Peel the bottom third of the asparagus. Trim and discard the ends. Trim the heads as well, but set them aside. Cut the asparagus lengthwise into thin strips and then crosswise into diamond shapes about 1 cm in size. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the asparagus cubes and asparagus heads for about 4 minutes, tossing occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the goat cheese into 2 cm thick slices and remove the rind. Bring the soup to a boil and purée briefly again. Ladle into warmed soup bowls and serve with the goat cheese and asparagus pieces.