1 pound fresh asparagus
Reserved asparagus tips
1 cup Beef Stock or 1 (10 1/2-ounce) can
beef broth
Reserved asparagus liquid
4 cups Beef Stock
Reserved chopped asparagus stalks
Rinse the asparagus. Cut off the tips and
reserve them. Cut off and discard the
bottom 1/2 inch of the stalk. Chop the
asparagus stalks medium fine and reserve
them.
Boil the asparagus tips in the stock for 10
minutes. Drain and reserve them. Reserve
the liquid.
In a large saucepan, combine the reserved
asparagus liquid and the stock. In the liquid
boil the shopped asparagus stalks, covered,
for 25 minutes, or until they are tender.
Strain them, pressing out as much liquid as
possible. Discard the residue. Return the
broth to the saucepan.
2 tablespoons soft butter
2 tablespoons flour
In a small mixing bowl, combine the butter
and flour and blend the mixture thoroughly.
Add the beurre maine to the broth and
bring the liquid to the boil, stirring
constantly until it is thickened and smopth.
1/2 cup light cream, scalded
3 egg yolks
In a small mixing bowl, allow the cream to
cool slightly. Add the egg yolks and beat
the mixture until it is homogeneous.
To the cream, add a little of the hot soup,
beating constantly. Then, away from the
heat, add the cream to the contents of the
saucepan, stirring constantly.
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt
White pepper
Reserved asparagus tips
Stir in the sugar and salt and pepper to
taste. Bring the soup to serving
temperature; do not allow it to boil. Serve
it garnished with the asparagus tips.
Variation: for the economically minded, say the raw stem ends from several servings of
asparagus (perhaps three meal’s worth); peel and chop them coarse. Omit steps one and two
and, in steps three, use Chicken Stock to cook the asparagus for 45 minutes. In step four,
increase the butter and flour to 3 tablespoonfuls each. In step five use 1 cupful of heavy cream
and omit the egg yolks. Complete the recipe as written, garnishing the soup with fine-chopped
parsley.
Items you need:
Saucepan
Bowls
Possible grocery shopping list:
1lb Asparagus
Beef stock or 4 (10 1/2 oz) cans beef broth
Light cream
Eggs