Cream of asparagus soup recipe

Ingredients

• 2 bunches asparagus
• knob of butter
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 100 ml pressed apple juice
• 1 1/5 litres vegetable stock
• 100 ml cold tea
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 50 ml double cream
• 50 ml whole milk

Method

1. Wash and trim the asparagus. Cut the stalks into small pieces and reserve some tips for garnish.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the onion and asparagus pieces gently until softened.
3. Add the apple juice, vegetable stock and cold tea. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the asparagus is tender.
4. Mix a few spoonfuls of the hot liquid with the flour to make a smooth slurry. Stir it gradually back into the soup and simmer until thickened.
5. Blend the soup until smooth. Add the double cream and whole milk, season and reheat gently without boiling.
6. Steam the reserved asparagus tips until tender and use them to garnish the soup.