Simple asparagus or sweet corn: 20 best soup recipes – part 4

This is an extravagant indulgence. Although I have tried (and succeeded) to make asparagus soup with all the trimmings, peelings and off-cuts, it always ends up tasting a little bit like tinned soup. (I can only presume that this is because that is exactly what the manufacturers do.) This recipe, however, uses a nice, trimmed-up bunch of fresh asparagus, and not much else. If you can come by the asparagus called “sprue” – which is thin and straggly and consequently much cheaper – then this can be used. It sort of goes against the grain to turn the most beautiful of vegetables into a soup, but this simple and very pure recipe transforms it into an elixir.

Melt the butter and stew the leeks until soft. Add the water and potato, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 15 minutes. Quickly chop the asparagus, and add it to the soup. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Blend thoroughly, then pass through a fine sieve. Add the cream and check the seasoning. This is equally good hot or


Source: theguardian