Cream of asparagus with morels
============================== 2020-05-25


Comment: If Noilly Pratt is not available, it can be replaced with white port (dry). To mix the soup, use a plunging mixer (Bamix). For the chicken cubes, beware that in North America, most of them are pretty bad, to the point of containing no chicken at all - read the
fine print. Of course, instead of the water and cubes, one can use a homemade chicken bouillon. In this case no need to use the onion, it is already it the bouillon. An option is to replace the morels by dried boletus.

6+ servings

Ingredients:
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1 kg white or green asparagus
30 g dried morels
3 cubes of chicken broth
1.5 l water
1 chopped onion
2 medium potatoes
1 little schlook of Noilly Prat
1 dl cream
S + P


Preparation:
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Wash the asparagus
Eliminate the hard bottom of the asparagus (~2 to 3 cm - where it breaks).
Peel on ~3 to 6 cm (not the green ones).
Cut and keep the buds, cut in 2 in length if they are large.

Dip the morels in a little hot water for ~1h. Wash them well, filter and keep the soaking water. Reduce it if necessary to obtain 1 to 2 dl maximum (3 to 6 floz).

In a large saucepan, sauté the chopped onion in a little olive oil over medium-high heat then add the asparagus pieces.
Sauté while stiring for ~3 minutes. Pepper. Add cubes of potatoes. Add 1.5 liters of water and chicken bouillon cubes. Add the morels water.
Bring to a boil then simmer 15 to 20 minutes until asparagus and potatoes are well cooked.

Meanwhile, sauté the morels for ~1 minute, cut in pieces for the larger ones. Deglaze with Noilly Prat, reduce to almost dry. Reserve.

In the same pan, sauté the reserved buds of asparagus, in a little olive oil, 4 to 5 minutes. They must remain al-dente. Salt and pepper. Reserve with the morels.

Mix the asparagus soup, add the morels and the asparagus tips, ~1 dl cream, stir, reheat and serve.