Crème D'asperges (Cream of Asparagus Soup)

Today's cold snap reminded us that summer is not quite here. Instead of the customary grilling, I decided to make a nice comfort soup with my fresh in-season asparagus. This soup doesn't call for anything fancy and can be prepared in 15 or 20 minutes.

A lot of French soups call for Creme Fraiche to add richness, but in a pinch it's okay to add sour cream as a substitute. (If you're really hardcore and want to make your own creme fraiche, you can add a tablespoon or two of buttermilk to unpasteurized sour cream and leave it out on your counter for a few hours until it thickens up).

Using light sour cream (or even regular sour cream) instead of heavy cream will keep the fat and calories down to a reasonable level. You can have 2nd's of this delicious soup and still feel great. Give it a try... and if you have a favorite quick soup, post it in the comments below.

Crème D'asperges (Cream of Asparagus Soup)

Ingredients

2 pounds green asparagus
1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 to 6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup sour creme (or creme fraiche)

1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Preparation

Cut tips from 12 asparagus

1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish.

Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.

Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.

Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids), and return to pan. Wisk in sour creme, then add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter.

Add lemon juice and garnish bowls with asparagus tips.