Spring into summer with soup.

I'm a fan of soup, any time of year. One of my favorite soups for spring is a fresh asparagus soup. One night last week I came home late from work, craving asparagus soup. I wasn't about to run to the grocery store after 8pm, but I was pretty sure I could pull something together. Ingredients check: chicken stock? Check. Leeks? Well, no, but some shallots and onions should do the trick. Butter? Always. Asparagus? Check...almost...only about half the amount I needed.

Of course, I could have made half the amount of asparagus soup, but earlier in the spring I'd had a lovely spring pea soup that was so sweet and delicious -- it reminded me of what I always wanted my asparagus soup to be like, but usually turned out to be a touch on the savory side. So I dug up a package of frozen peas (another staple in my kitchen), and we were in business.

I turned out to be right - the blend of asparagus and peas gave that lovely earthy, springy, light flavor I've always been looking for in a spring asparagus soup. Nervous that I hadn't gotten all the little peas yet, I was a bit overzealous with the puréeing and ended up with this amazing frothy layer on top (which reminded me of a sauce/foam on a delicious and delicate asparagus amuse bouche I had at Citronelle in Georgetown). Finished with blanched, sweet asparagus tips, shaved parmesan, and a drizzle of the most spectacular, spicy Picholine olive oil (from a wonderful shop called the Olive Scene outside Cleveland, OH), the velvety-yet-light richness was exactly what I'd been craving.

~

Spring Vegetable Soup
(Serves 4-6)

1 lb fresh asparagus, rinsed
2 c frozen green peas
4 c chicken stock
4 T unsalted butter
1/4 c minced shallots
1 c minced onions
1 T minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c heavy cream (optional)
1/4 c finely grated Parmesan, garnish

Trim the tips from the asparagus, about an inch long. Break the woody stem ends from each spear and reserve. Cut the remaining tender stalks into half-inch pieces.

In a medium pot, bring the stock to a boil and simmer woody stems for 20 min. Remove with a slotted spoon and discard, reserving the stock.

In a medium pot, sauté shallots and onions in butter until tender, about 3 min. Add garlic, chopped asparagus, salt, and pepper, and cook for 2 min. Add the reserved broth and simmer until the asparagus are tender, about 15 min. Add peas and cook for another 3 min.

Meanwhile, blanch asparagus tops in a small pot of salted water. Bring water to a boil and cook asparagus for about a minute. Drain and add to an ice bath. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Remove soup from heat. With a hand-immersion blender (or in batches in a food processor), purée the soup until smooth. Purée a little more for a frothy texture on top. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Add a splash of cream and stir.

To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with asparagus tips, grated parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of finishing olive oil.