Asparagus Soup

The only time I eat asparagus soup is when it is in season in my area, and then I eat as much as I can.  I make this soup the day after serving the asparagus tips as a vegetable when I have all the ends left.  I also keep asparagus stock in the freezer.  I usually have quite a bit, as I don’t like to throw out the asparagus ends, and I find it easy to make them into stock.

NOTE: You may enrich this soup further by adding 2 egg yokes, mixed with 1/4 cup of the heavy cream, just before serving.  Make sure that the soup does not come to a boil again, or the egg yokes will curdle. 

Stock:
3 cups asparagus ends and peels
5 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Soup:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
5 cups asparagus stock
1 cup cut asparagus
1 cup heavy cream

Stock: Combine the asparagus ends and peel with the chicken broth in a large saucepan. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Put the stock through a strainer pressing down on the asparagus as to extract all the juices. Discard the asparagus.

Soup: In a heavy saucepan melt butter then add flour, stirring and cooking this roux for about 3 minutes without letting it brown. Add asparagus stock and asparagus, bring to a boil and simmer for 6 minutes. Add the heavy cream and check for seasoning adding more salt and pepper if desired. Bring to a boil and serve.

Note: You may enrich this soup further by adding 2 egg yolks mixed with 1/4 cup of the heavy cream just before serving, making sure that the soup does not come to a boil again, otherwise the egg yolks will curdle.