Chef John's Cream Of Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, finely diced
• salt to taste
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• cream topping:
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (optional)
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 40 mins Ready Time: 1 hr


• melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. add minced onion and salt; cook and stir until onion is soft and golden, about 10 minutes.
• pour chicken broth and water into pot. bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 minutes.
• place asparagus pieces in simmering broth. cook, stirring occasionally until asparagus is just tender and still bright green, 5 to 10 minutes. remove from heat.
• use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• for a finer texture, strain soup through mesh strainer. return strained soup to pot and place on stove.
• turn heat to low. season with cayenne pepper, black pepper, and nutmeg. adjust salt to taste. whisk 1/2 cup cream into soup.
• place 1/4 cup cream, parmigiano-reggiano cheese, and lemon zest in a small bowl. whisk until frothy and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
• ladle soup into bowls. drizzle a spoonful of parmigiano-reggiano-lemon cream on top of each serving and swirl to form a random design.
• sprinkle with a pinch of lemon zest and cayenne pepper, if desired.