Gream Of Asparagus Recipe

Prepare asparagus

Trim woody ends from the asparagus (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches). Reserve 8 intact tips for garnish by snapping or cutting them off the stalks. Cut the remaining asparagus into 1-inch pieces.

Blanch reserved tips

Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add reserved asparagus tips and blanch 30–45 seconds until bright green and slightly tender. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.

Sweat aromatics

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant—do not brown.

Make roux

Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the softened onions and garlic. Stir continuously for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour taste and form a light roux; it should become slightly paste-like and pale golden.

Add asparagus and stock

Add the cut asparagus pieces to the pot and stir to coat with the roux. Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until asparagus is very tender, about 10–12 minutes.

Finish with milk and cream

Stir in the milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Warm gently—do not bring rapidly to a boil—to combine and heat through, about 3–4 minutes. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Purée the soup

Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth and velvety. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender, filling each batch no more than half full, and blend until smooth. Return to the pot and rewarm gently if needed.

Adjust texture and flavor

If you prefer a thinner consistency, add up to 1/2 cup additional stock or milk, stirring to combine. Stir in the lemon juice to brighten the flavor and taste; adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Reheat the blanched asparagus tips briefly in simmering water for 20–30 seconds or warm them in the microwave for 10–15 seconds. Ladle the hot soup into bowls.

Place 2–3 asparagus tips on each bowl. Drizzle a small swirl (about 1/2 teaspoon) of extra heavy cream over each serving if desired. Sprinkle each bowl with about 1 teaspoon of chopped chives or parsley and a light dusting of grated Parmesan if using.

Serve immediately with crusty bread. Leftovers can be cooled, refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen (soup may separate slightly; reheat gently and whisk to combine).