Cream of Asparagus Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh jumbo asparagus
1 quart boiling water
1 tablespoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup minced leeks, washed well (use all parts)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon chopped parsley

Preparation:

Wash, peel and snap off the lower stalks of the asparagus. Reserve the
peelings and lower stalks.

Lay the asparagus in a deep pan, so that the tips are facing in the
same direction. Cover with the boiling water seasoned with salt. Cook
for five to seven minutes, or until the asparagus is tender but still
crisp. Lift the asparagus from the boiling water and plunge into ice
water. Reserve the cooking liquid. Only one-quarter of this asparagus
is used in the soup. (Serve the remaining pieces with vinaigrette, as
a salad, or with melted butter as a side dish.)

Cut the tips from one-quarter of the cooked asparagus, reserving both
stalks and tips for the soup. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a
heavy 3-quart saucepan. Stir in the onions and leeks and cook over low
heat for 5 minutes, but do not brown.

Dust the onions and leeks with the flour and mix thoroughly. Pour in
the reserved liquid, blending vigorously with a whisk.

Add the raw asparagus peelings, lower stalks and the reserved cooked
stalks. Season with the pepper. Cover and boil gently for 30 minutes.
Purée the soup in a blender or food processor (may have be puréed in
several batches) and force through a fine strainer.

Before serving, reheat the soup and with a whisk stir in the remaining
2 tablespoons of butter and the cream. Adjust seasonings. Add the
reserved asparagus tips and garnish with croutons and freshly chopped
parsley.

Hint: Most soups may be prepared ahead of time, but do not add the
cream or butter until ready to serve.






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