Eyes on the Fries

Part 1: Preparing the Asparagus Broth & Tips

1. Prep Asparagus Stalks: Peel the bottom halves of your asparagus stalks. Place these peeled stalks in a 4-quart saucepot along with 2 cups of water and your broth (ensure “brother” in the original text is indeed “broth”).

2. Cook Broth Base: Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

3. Strain Broth: Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Carefully pour the contents of the pot through the strainer, collecting the broth in the bowl. Discard the strained solids.

4. Prep Remaining Asparagus: Cut off and set aside 24 asparagus tips for garnish. Cut the remaining asparagus spears into 2-inch pieces and set them aside.

Part 2: Cleaning Leeks & Building the Soup Base

1. Clean Leeks Thoroughly: Place the sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water. Swish them around with your hand to help release any sand. Transfer the leeks to a colander. Repeat this process, changing the water several times, until no sand remains.

2. Sauté Aromatics: In a 6-quart saucepot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the cleaned leeks and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 4 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the leeks become translucent.

3. Add Garlic & Asparagus Pieces: Stir in the minced garlic and the reserved 2-inch asparagus pieces. Continue to cook for another 4 minutes, or until the garlic just begins to soften, stirring as you go.

Part 3: Simmering & Finishing the Soup

1. Simmer Soup: Pour the strained asparagus broth into the pot with the sautéed vegetables, along with another 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

2. Cook & Wilt Spinach: Simmer the soup, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes, or until the asparagus is very tender. Stir in the fresh spinach until it’s just wilted.

3. Cook Asparagus Tips (While Soup Simmers): While the soup is simmering, place the reserved asparagus tips and 1 tablespoon of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with vented plastic wrap and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, until the tips are just tender-crisp.

4. Puree Soup: Working in batches, carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender. Puree until the soup is incredibly smooth and velvety. Pour the pureed soup into a large bowl or a clean saucepot.

5. Chill & Serve: Stir the cream and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper into the pureed soup. Cover the soup and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 1 day, to chill thoroughly. Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice. Serve the soup either hot or cold, garnished with the reserved tender-crisp asparagus tips.