Creamy Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

• 2 lbs asparagus
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 5 cups chicken broth
• Leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp dry vermouth
• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Method

1 Cut tips from 12 asparagus 1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish. Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.

2 Cook onion in butter in a 4 or 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth, thyme, and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

3 While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.

4 Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth. If you want a very creamy texture, you can put the purée through a food mill or press it through a sieve. Transfer to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids), and return to pan. Stir in cream. Stir in vermouth and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with asparagus tips. Serves 4-6.

Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet magazine.