Recipes from Our Restaurant Chefs

• In a large soup pot, over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup butter. Add onion and shallots and saute about 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
• Add chicken stock and simmer.
• Add asparagus and parsley and cook for 5 minutes, until very tender, but still green.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove onion, shallots, asparagus and parsley and place in food processor or blender and puree in small batches.
• Return the puree to the simmering stock and cook for 10 minutes, stirring to prevent burning.
• Pass the soup through a fine strainer into a clean soup pot to extract the stringy asparagus stems.
• Place pot over medium heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the soup reduces to desired consistency. Keep warm on low heat.
• Place a saute pan over medium-high heat; when hot, lay slices of prosciutto in the pan. cook and turn about 1-2 minutes per side, until crisp, taking care not to burn them. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Let cool for 5 minutes, then julienne and place on dry paper towel.
• Pour water into a saucepan and add salt: bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Blanch the asparagus in boiling water for about 2 minutes, or until al dente. Using a slotted spoon or strainer transfer the asparagus to an ice-water bath for about a minute, until chilled, then drain.
• Place saute pan over medium heat and add chicken stock. Add asparagus and simmer about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Whisk the creme fraiche and remaining 1/4 cup butter into soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Stand the asparagus, spaced evenly apart, up against the inside of 6 soup bowls. Pour soup into bowl and garnish with prosciutto.