Asparagus Soup with Lemon Creme Fraiche

I was recently tasked with bringing a soup to a recent dinner party that had a spring theme. I started with a recipe I received from Joanne Weir but I added to it. This can be a main course with the addition of bread or a crostini. Smaller portions can be part of a larger dinner.

Asparagus is widely available but seasonally they represent spring. This is a good choice for an early spring dinner. The delicate bits of asparagus tips offer a bit of a crunch to this soup. The lemony creme fraiche pairs well and adds a refreshing dimension to the soup.

Asparagus Soup with Lemon Creme Fraiche

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. asparagus
• 1 large clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 large yellow onion
• 6 cups stock
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• zest from 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche
• 1-2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon white pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Aleppo pepper (optional)

Instructions

Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus. Finely chop the flowery tips off of each asparagus and reserve in a bowl. Slice the rest of the asparagus into 3/4 inch pieces. 

Heat butter in a large pot. Coarsely chop the onion. Add minced garlic, onion, salt and pepper to pot and stir occasionally until soft, about 7 minutes. Add 3/4" pieces of asparagus and stock. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Add white pepper. Let soup simmer for 12-15 minutes. If it is too watery, simmer with the lid off to concentrate the soup. Let soup cool for 15 minutes and puree with an immersion blender or food processor. Add 1 tbsp. lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, mix together creme fraiche, lemon zest, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Add water to this thin slightly to make it more pourable over the finished soup.

Reheat soup over medium adding in the asparagus tips. 

To serve, place soup in bowls and drizzle some of the lemon creme fraiche on top. Garnish with Aleppo pepper flakes.

Serves 6.

Asparagus is tough to pair with wines. There are ingredients in asparagus that make wine taste metallic and harsh. Stay away from Chardonnays and go for herbal, floral wines. This article offers advice on selecting a good wine to pair with this soup. Sunset Magazine recommends Pinot Grigio.

We brought a Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc for that New Zealand style wine and a Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc. Some preferred the softer Matanzas Creek while others preferred the brighter, steelier New Zealand as the better pairing.