====== Cream of Asparagus Soup ======
<block small rightalign>Credit: [[user:Celti]]</block>
===== Ingredients =====
  * 6 pounds fresh asparagus
  * 1 large onion
  * 2 or 3 sticks (¼ pound each) butter
  * ¾ cup white rice flour
  * 1 quart half-and-half, plus more to adjust thickness
  * 1 quart chicken stock, plus more to adjust thickness
  * ½ cup sherry (cream sherry is best), more or less to taste
  * Salt and pepper to taste

===== Preparation =====
  - Remove woody ends from asparagus, and remove and reserve tips.
  - Snap remaining asparagus into roughly 2-inch pieces.
  - Start 1 stick of butter melting in large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven.
  - Dice onion finely or puree in food processor and add to butter.
  - Once onion is golden and translucent, add asparagus to pot, and another stick of butter if the onion has absorbed it all.
  - Cover pot and sweat asparagus, stirring regularly, until tender and bulk has reduced.
  - While sweating the asparagus, in a large frying pan melt a stick of butter and build a roux with the rice flour.
  - Once the roux has reached a blonde colour, stir in the sherry and a cup or so of half-and-half to build a cream sauce, seasoning it with salt and pepper.
  - Once the asparagus is tender, add the cream sauce, chicken broth, and remaining half and half to the pot and puree the contents with an immersion blender.
  - Let the pot simmer for at least half an hour, or longer as wished to let the flavours meld.
  - While pot is simmering, lightly steam reserved asparagus tips in steamer or microwave.
  - Adjust thickness of soup as desired, and serve hot, topped with asparagus tips.

Serves 20 as a soup course, or eight as a main course.