Last week I received an email recipe from La Cucina Italiana.  It was a Spring soup – asparagus with an over-easy egg floating in it.  It looked like gastronomic heaven on earth.  And it was almost 80° outside.  I saved the recipe, thinking I might make it in the fall – with frozen asparagus.  All the while, I kept spying beautiful bunches of fresh asparagus at the store.

And then the culinary gods smiled down upon me.  It went to 28° last night.  Time to make soup!

I used the magazine’s idea and my own recipe for the soup.  Soups are one of those things that I just instinctively throw together.  They really are one of the easier things to make.  But while the soup itself is easy to make, the accoutrement is another story…

I’ve done eggs over several different dishes, but seeing a fried egg floating upon a sea of asparagus soup was pure genius.  Any good cook will tell you that it’s the details that make a good recipe great.  The finishing touches that turn ordinary into extraordinary. This was one of those moments.

And pure gastronomic heaven.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

  • 2 bunches asparagus (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Remove tips from one bunch of asparagus and set aside.  Cut remaining asparagus into 2″ pieces.

Saute onion and garlic in a pat of butter.  When translucent, add asparagus.  Saute a few minutes and then add broth and water.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 20 minutes or until asparagus is cooked through and very soft.

Using an immersion blender, cream soup.  Add cream and sour cream and mix well.  Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Meanwhile, blanch reserved asparagus tips and set aside.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with a single fried egg.  Add asparagus tips to garnish.

The magazine called for little toasted baguette slices.  I sliced up a fresh semolina loaf.

The hot soup continues to cook the egg, so don’t be afraid to add it a bit underdone for your normal taste.

Victor raved.  He said it was the best soup I have ever made.  I’ll take the compliment, but there are a few I’ve liked better…  But it really was good.  So good that I’m not going to care what the weather is next time I make it.

Yum.