Asparagus cream soup with classic elements

Asparagus are called white gold for a reason. A very tasty seasonal vegetable. The asparagus soup in this recipe is based on the classic asparagus dish (with ham and egg). I wanted to return the ham and egg to the soup, but without stirring the ham and egg into the soup. The soup had to be and remain a cream. This was successful.

Peel the asparagus and remove the bottom of the asparagus. Cook the asparagus in plenty of water for about 10 minutes. Remove the asparagus and add the asparagus peelings and bottoms to the water and bring it to the boil again. Make sure you have about 1.5 – 2 liters of water with asparagus peelings. Add stock (cube) to the water. Let the peels infuse with the water for at least 30 minutes, longer is better.

Peel the shallots and cut them into small pieces. Fry the shallots in the butter until the shallots are translucent.

Add the flour and continue to stir, using a whisk if necessary. The flour mixes with the butter and this is called a roux. The flour will slowly cook in the pan. Stir for about 5 minutes.

Remove the skins and asparagus buttocks from the water by sieving the water. Discard the peels. Add a soup spoon of asparagus water to the roux and stir well until the water is absorbed.

Then add a scoop of asparagus water each time and keep stirring, so that no lumps are formed. Eventually a soup will be created. Use as much water as needed. The soup should be dense and not too watery.

Remove the top from the asparagus and set aside. Put 4 asparagus (without top) in the soup and remove the soup from the heat. Let the soup cool. Store two asparagus and all asparagus tops in the refrigerator.

Half an hour before serving the soup, remove the ham, egg, 2 asparagus and 6 asparagus tops from the refrigerator, so that they come to room temperature. Slowly heat the soup.

Cut the egg and ham very fine.

Cut a few capers very fine and cut the parsley as well. Cut the two remaining asparagus into very small cubes and add them together with the capers and parsley to the ham egg. Stir well. Chop two asparagus tops and add them as well.

Cut the 2 remaining asparagus tops in half and make sure they are the same size. You need 4 half tops for 4 people.

Remove the asparagus from the asparagus soup and mash the asparagus with a little bit of soup.

Then add the mashed asparagus to the soup and stir well. Add a splash of whipped cream to the soup to make it slightly creamier. Bring the soup to a boil.

In a soup plate a make-up ring is placed in which the finely chopped asparagus ham egg is placed. Press a little. Pour the soup next to the ring and carefully remove the ring. Place a half asparagus top on top of the circle of ham-egg asparagus and possibly a little more parsley.

Serve with a Chardonnay.