Lemon Asparagus Soup

Here is a delicious, healthy, and (if you hurry) local ingredient recipe that I found on Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Facebook page. If you don't have one or two of the herbs in your herb garden or spice cupboard, I would suggest substituting your own favourites. If you don't have home made chicken broth, organic is strongly recommended.

Enjoy.

Ingredients:

2 cups asparagus

1 cup onion

2 cups (preferably home made) chicken broth

1 Tbsp organic butter (Extra Virgin Olive Oil may be substituted)

1 tsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp parsley, chopped

1 Tbsp lemon balm, chopped

1/2 Tbsp dried tarragon

Sea salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Wash a bundle of asparagus well to get all the sand out of the heads. (Soak in cold water and let the sand fall to the bottom) Break off the woody ends and chop the heads and stems until you have about 2 cups. Peel and chop a sweet onion.In a medium size pot, melt the butter and gently sauté the onion until it is translucent. Add the chopped asparagus and continue sautéing until the asparagus has turned bright green. Add the chicken broth, parsley, lemon balm, lemon juice, and tarragon. Cover the pot with a lid and let simmer until the asparagus in tender (about 10 minutes).Transfer the soup to a blender and liquefy. Note: This can be a dangerous procedure if you are not careful. Let the soup cool slightly, blend in small batches if necessary, and be sure to cover the lid of the blender with a towel to protect yourself in case of "eruptions."

Return the soup to the pot and keep warm.