Asparagus is one of the few vegetables that remains true to its season; though you can buy it earlier than ever, and it stays around later than ever, it’s still pretty much a spring vegetable. You can save yourself some time by using thin asparagus; if you use thicker stalks, peel them first or the soup will be fibrous. Be especially careful whenever you puree hot liquid; do it in smaller batches to avoid spattering.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 1/2 pounds thin or peeled thick asparagus

　　2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil

　　10 fresh tarragon leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried

　　1 quart chicken or other stock

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Break off the bottom of each asparagus stalk and discard. Coarsely chop the rest of the stalks, leaving 16 of the flower ends whole. Put the butter or oil in a large deep skillet or broad saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. A minute later, add the asparagus and tarragon, raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring only occasionally, until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the whole flower ends; set aside.

　　

Step 2

Add the stock and some salt and pepper; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the asparagus is very tender, about 10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes.

　　

Step 3

Use a blender to puree carefully in batches. Return to the pan and reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. When the soup is hot, taste and adjust the seasoning. Put 4 of the cooked flower ends in each of 4 bowls; ladle in the soup and serve.

　　From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books.Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.