By Julie White | Cooking with Julie

This recipe is like a burst of spring in a bowl.

If you think you don’t like asparagus, you might want to give this soup a try. Serves about four.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of thin asparagus (tough ends cut off)
1 yellow onion, diced very small
2 cloves garlic minced
5 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cut the tips off 10 of the asparagus and set aside for garnish. Chop the main asparagus as fine as you can.
2. In a large soup pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Sauté the onion, garlic and chopped asparagus until tender. Add the stock and season to taste.
3. You can add a splash of sherry for flavor, if desired.
4. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender until smooth. Stir in the cream and taste for seasoning.
5. Return to soup pot to warm.
6. In a small pan, melt remaining butter and cook the asparagus tips until tender. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with asparagus tips. Serve hot.