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Serves
6 for a starter, 4 for entree.
Author Notes
I have enjoyed making this soup to celebrate spring for more years than I care to remember. My dog-eared, stained recipe was banged out on the typewriter at my first job after college. I have made few changes over time, except to finally have easy access to shallots (a long time ago as well) and to learn to make my own chicken stock. —Lizthechef
Ingredients
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1 and 1/2 pounds
asparagus
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6 cups
homemade chicken stock
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1/4 pound
unsalted butter, divided use
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6 tablespoons
unbleached flour
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2 tablespoons
minced shallots
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2
egg yolks
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3/4 cup
cream
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kosher salt and ground white pepper to taste
Directions
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Heat stock to boiling.Trim and peel asparagus. Discard stalk ends. Cut the stalks into 3/4 inch pieces and set aside. Drop tips into boiling stock for two minutes, then set aside. Pour stock into large bowl.
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Heat 6 T. butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for 2 minutes or so. Gradually whisk in the hot stock until smooth. Continue whisking until mixture has thickened.Cook for another 5 minutes on low heat while you go on to saute the stalk-shallot mixture.
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Heat remaining 2 T. of butter in a large skillet. Once the foam reduces, add stalk pieces and shallots. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes, then add to simmering soup base. Cook over medium-low heat, just until asparagus in tender.
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Puree soup in batches in a blender; return to Dutch oven. Combine the egg yolks with the cream in a small bowl and gradually add the pureed soup until the egg-cream mixture is warmed. Add the egg-cream mixture to the soup, bring to a low boil and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, also adding the reserved tips. Correct seasoning and serve.
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