The Perfect No-Waste Texture Boost For Cream Of Asparagus Soup

In the United States, asparagus is in its prime harvest season in April and May, which means you're going to find the brightest, freshest asparagus in the stores or farmer's markets. Or, if you grow it yourself, the grasshopper green stalks have fully emerged from the ground and are ready to be picked. It also indicates that there will be plenty of opportunity to make a batch of cream of asparagus soup.

Cream of asparagus soup is a star in the pureed soup genre, but for some people, these soups lack sufficient texture. To add a natural, no-waste crunch to your soup in a way that is aesthetically pleasing, hold back some of your asparagus tips to use as garnish at the end. A two-inch tip cut from the raw stalk at the beginning of the preparation process will deliver a light chew. Plus, it will bring a restaurant-quality touch to your cream of asparagus soup.

For a batch of soup that makes about five bowls, you will need approximately one and a half pounds of asparagus, which will be close to two bunches. After rinsing your asparagus and trimming off the bottom ends, slice the tops off of approximately 12 and 15 stalks and set them aside until the end. The rest of the asparagus will be chopped, sautéed, and ultimately blended with cream, but your asparagus tips will stay nice and crisp for the grand finale. You will have about two to three per bowl. If you like the springy freshness this brings to the soup, you can always set aside more of the tips next time. Additionally, if you prefer, you can very lightly blanch the tips so they keep most of their texture but aren't completely raw — or slightly boil them in salt water.

This easy texture hack means no additional kitchen waste and is a beautiful way to showcase asparagus during its peak season. Other things you can garnish with for aesthetics and taste include red pepper flakes and sprigs of dill, or a drizzle of additional heavy cream.