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| Nick off about a half inch of each stalk. |
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| Peel off the coarse husk. |
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| Cook the reserved tips. |
The end of spargel season is rapidly coming to a close in Germany and the tears in my eyes are not tears of joy. But, there’s still time for one more taste before you lose the spargel pot in the undisciplined tangle of your overflowing cupboard. Go ahead and put it away now. You won’t need it for this dish.
Here’s a very simple recipe for a very special soup that serves you, your significant other and two greedy guests.
Spargel Soup
1 Pound (about 1/2 kilo) white asparagus (spargel)
1 Medium onion, chopped
4 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
4 Cups chicken broth
1 Teaspoon sugar
1/2 Cup heavy cream
Chopped chives for decoration
Nick off the ends of the asparagus stalks (see photo above) and peel off the tough outer layer of each stalk (see photo above).
Cut the stalks into 1/2 inch pieces, reserving about two inches of the head of each stalk (See above photo of cooking asparagus tops).
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven, add the chopped onion and cook over low to medium heat until the onion is translucent. Do not let it brown.
Add the pieces of asparagus, except for the reserved tops. Cook about 6 minutes. Again, heat should be low enough to prevent browning
Dust the mixture with the flour and mix well. Allow the mixture to cook long enough for the flour to lose its raw taste and pick up the tastes of the other ingredients, about 2 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and stir well. Allow to cook for ten minutes.
In a separate pan, add a pat of butter and a few tablespoons of the cooking broth. Place the reserved asparagus tops in the pan. Stir and allow the delicate tops to cook a couple of minutes. You want them cooked, but not mushy. Set aside.
Use either a hand-held blending wand or a blender to purée the chicken broth mixture. (Not the asparagus tops!) If using a regular blender, blend only one cup at a time to keep hot soup from splashing all over you and your kitchen counter!
Return the blended soup to the big pot. Add sugar to taste. Add the heavy cream. Soup should be only very mildly sweet. Add the asparagus tops and stir.
Decorate each bowl of soup with the chopped chives.
Serve with a crusty baguette and your favorite white wine. Listen as the dinner conversation drops off to a low, appreciative whine.
Voilá! You’ve just created one of the most delicious soups in the world!
