Asparagus soup with flaked white crabmeat

(SERVES 6)

Ingredients

z 2 onions, white if possible for a milder flavour, either end sliced off

z 1 litre of cold water with the onion skins

z 500g asparagus, each stalk snapped to remove the tough ends

z 1 tsp salt

z Black pepper

z Parsley

z Bayleaf

z 3 tbsp olive oil

z 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the crabmeat:

z 220g flaked white only crabmeat

z 1 tsp good salt, and about 15 grinds of black pepper and finely grated rind of ½ lemon

z 1 tsp lemon juice

z 150ml double cream, lightly whipped

METHOD

1. Place the onions, onion trimmings, asparagus, salt, a good grinding of black pepper, a handful of parsley if you have some, and a bayleaf in a pan and bring the water to the boil. Simmer gently uncovered for 30 mins from reaching simmering point. Allow to cool.

2. Slice the onions into chunks about a thumbnail in size. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the chopped onions over moderate heat for 12 minutes, stirring. Don’t be tempted to raise the heat, the onions mustn’t turn colour.

3. Slice the asparagus into even sized short lengths. Add these to the pan once the onions are soft and transparent-looking. Stir the asparagus and onions together well. Cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Strain the stock from the pan with the onion trimmings and the tough ends of the asparagus stalks. Bring to simmer gently, for 7-10 minutes, stick a fork or the end of a knife into a chunk of asparagus and if it feels tender, pull the pan off the heat. If not, cook for a further couple of minutes. Beware overcooking.

5. With a hand blender, whiz the contents of the pan to a smooth texture, taste, and add salt and black pepper as you think it is needed. Stir in the tablespoon of lemon juice.

6. Mix all of the creamy crabmeat ingredients together and put a spoonful in the centre of each plateful of soup.

7. N.B. The asparagus soup can be made and frozen – it freezes well.

8. I prefer to serve my asparagus soup at room temperature.