There are so many Cream of Asparagus Soup recipes but I have always stayed with the good old one,but today I desired to try something new! This soup has lemon and Parmesan cheese in it, not so common combination with the tender asparagus taste. But belive me, it works fabulously. The tangy taste of lemon just comes through the soup flavor lightly and Parmesan cheese gives the soup roundness.

Soups are easy to make and fast. So will be this one too. Preparation time is about half an hour and this soup can be prepared ahead. Here is the recipe:

• 500g asparagus ( I use asparagus tips wich you can buy here. They are easy and fast because you do not need to clean or peel them)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 2-3 smallish potatoes, chopped
• 10 g wood garlic finely chopped or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1l vegetable or chicken broth
• 2,5 dl cream
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
• 100g freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Handful fresh herbs, such as thyme, dill or basil (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.( If you are using Wood Garlic wait till all the ingridiets have boiled soft and then add the Wood Garlic into the soup and purée it.)
2. In the meantime, cut the tips off of the asparagus spears and set aside. Cut the remaining spears into pieces.
3. Add the chopped asparagus (except for the tips) to the pot, along with the chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn heat down to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes until vegetables are very tender.
4. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the reserved asparagus tips for a few minutes until tender-crisp. Drain and refresh under cold water or in an ice bath. Set aside.
5. Purée the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth. At this point ,if you are using Wood Garlic add that into the soup.(Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the soup in batches, then return the soup to the pot.)
   If necessary, pass the soup through a fine sieve to remove the fibers (the best way is to place the sieve over a large bowl, then use a ladle to push the soup through in circular motions). Return the soup to the pot and bring back to a simmer. Add the cream.Stir in the lemon juice and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and more lemon juice if desired (you may need up to a teaspoon more salt).