WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Cream of asparagus soup should be bright green, bursting with asparagus flavor, and flawlessly smooth, but often the butter and cream stirred in before serving make the soup heavy. To eke out maximum asparagus flavor, we tried sautéing the spears, but ended up with a dark, bitter soup. Broiling the asparagus yielded similar results. Lowering the heat and cooking the asparagus spears gently to slowly coax out their flavor worked. (Tasters agreed that the richness of butter was a must here.) We learned the hard way not to overcook the asparagus; to retain their fresh flavor, the pieces must be just tender enough to puree. To achieve more creaminess without adding more cream, leeks, which are great for adding sweet silkiness without muddling flavors, came to mind. For a beautiful emerald hue, we stirred a handful of peas into the pot just before pureeing. They added further sweetness and body, thanks to their starch. A bit of Parmesan lent a nuttiness that echoed that of the asparagus, while lemon juice brightened the dish. Look for asparagus spears no thicker than ½ inch.

Serves 6

TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
• Salt and pepper
• 3½ cups chicken broth
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut tips off asparagus spears and reserve. Cut spears into ½-inch pieces.
2. Melt 1½ tablespoons butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add asparagus tips and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 minutes; transfer to bowl and set aside.
3. Add remaining 1½ tablespoons butter, asparagus spears, leeks, ½ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper to now-empty pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
4. Add broth to pot and bring to boil over medium-high heat.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in peas and Parmesan.
7. Working in batches, process soup in blender until smooth, about 1 minute; transfer to clean pot.
8. Stir in cream, lemon juice, and asparagus tips and cook over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 2 minutes.
9. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Serve.