Ingredients
2 to 3 pounds asparagus
1 1/2 cups chopped leeks
2 tablespoons butter
6 to 8 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup light cream
juice of half a lemon
Cooking
Cut off ends of asparagus spears and discard
Cut off tops of asparagus spears and hold until later
Melt butter in a large pot
Sauté chopped leeks in pot
Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil (approximately 5 minutes)
Put asparagus into pot and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat (do not boil)
Blanch asparagus tops in a small pot (no more than 1 1/2 minutes)
Puree small amounts of the asparagus base thoroughly in a blender
Put puree back into pot, reheat
Add light cream and juice of lemon
Add asparagus tops to the soup. Mix and serve
Tips
After you blanch the tops, drain and put them back into the pot with water. This will stop the cooking so they retain their green color
When you puree the base, make sure and start at the lowest speed with the blender. Most blenders tend to surge and this can cause the hot liquid to scald you. A good tip would be to place a moist cloth over the top and hold it down when turning on the blender
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