Asparagus Soup:
3 lbs. asparagus, tough ends removed and discarded
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped coarsely
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock + 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Preserved Lemon Crème Fraîche:
1/2 cup crème fraîche
2 teaspoons preserved lemons, inner pulp removed and discarded, skin finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Methods/Steps:
Cutting asparagus: Remove tough ends from asparagus. Slice top inch off asparagus tips by slicing diagonally into thin slivers. Set tips aside for soup garnish. Cut remaining stalk into 1/2-inch long pieces.

Make soup: In a soup pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the 1/2-inch asparagus pieces (still reserving the tips for garnish) and cook asparagus until tender, about 8 minutes. Take off heat and add the extra 2 cups of room temperature stock to help it cool.

Working in batches, puree the soup by filling a blender to no more than 2/3 full. Puree the soup until very smooth and light, 2 to 3 minutes per batch on high speed. (If the soup is still hot it could spit from the blender; take care by holding the lid on with a towel.) Strain soup through a strainer into another soup pot. Add 2 Tablespoons lemon juice and season with 1 Tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add asparagus tips to pureed soup. Reheat soup.

Garnish: In a bowl, mix together crème fraîche with preserved lemons and salt and pepper. Add water if necessary to make the consistency of heavy cream.

To serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Put a dollop of crème fraîche in the middle of the bowl and serve immediately. Serves 12.

Recipe created by Parties That Cook® www.PartiesThatCook.com