This recipe can be adapted to make almost any cream vegetable soup, replacing the asparagus with 1 cup of finely chopped vegetable, such as cauliflower, celery, or broccoli.

Ingredients:

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped asparagus
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1 or 2 tsp arrowroot
Salt
freshly ground black pepper
Chopped chives or chopped parsley

Instructions:

Pour the broth in a pot and add the asparagus. Lightly sauté the onion in the butter, and also add to the broth along with the parsley. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until the asparagus is tender. Drain the broth into a bowl. Put the vegetables through a food mill or puree in a food processor. Combine with the broth, and return to the pot. Stir in the cream or half-and-half over low heat. Mix the arrowroot with a little milk, and stir into the broth. Continue stirring until the soup thickens and comes to a boil. Taste for seasoning. Serve with chopped chives or chopped parsley.

Yield: Serves 4