Asparagus Soup with Lemon-Herb Crème Fraîche

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• MAKE-AHEAD

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup crème fraîche
2. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
3. 2 teaspoons chopped chives
4. 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon
5. 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
6. 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
7. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8. 2 pounds medium asparagus, tough ends discarded, tips reserved and stalks coarsely chopped
9. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
11. 1 quart chicken stock
12. 2 cups water

1. In a bowl, blend the crème fraîche with the parsley, chives, tarragon and the lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and refrigerate.
2. In a small saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the asparagus tips until tender; drain and transfer to a plate.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 4 minutes. Add the stock and water and bring to a boil. Add the chopped asparagus and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Boil over moderately high heat until the asparagus are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender and pour it into a clean saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the asparagus tips and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Ladle the soup into warmed shallow bowls. Top with large dollops of the lemon-herb crème fraîche and serve.