Cold Asparagus Soup With Quail Eggs And Caviar

A silky chilled purée of green asparagus with onions, leeks, garlic, and cream, elegantly garnished with crème fraîche, halved hard-boiled quail eggs, caviar, and chives.

FrenchVegetarianIntermediate45 minBy Northstar

Ingredients

Servings
6
  • 2 lb fresh green asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 8 cup water
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup minced yellow onions
  • 1 cup minced leeks, white part only
  • 1 tbsp chopped garlic
  • 0.3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.3 cup crème fraîche
  • 6 each hard-boiled quail eggs, halved
  • 2 oz caviar
  • 1 to taste chopped chives

Instructions

  1. 1

    Season the water with salt and bring to a boil. Add asparagus and cook 3 minutes. Remove, drain, and reserve both the asparagus and the water.

  2. 2

    In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add onions and leeks, season and sauté until slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and flour; cook 2 more minutes.

  3. 3

    Add the cooked asparagus and reserved liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook 25 minutes until asparagus is very tender.

  4. 4

    Using a hand blender, purée until smooth. Strain and discard fibers. Return to the saucepan and whisk in cream. Reseason.

  5. 5

    Remove from heat and chill completely.

  6. 6

    Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of crème fraîche, 2 quail egg halves, caviar, and chives.

Tags

soupemerilasparaguscaviarfancycold-soup