Ingredients
1 bunch (usually a pound) of asparagus
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of cider vinegar
Method
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the asparagus by dunking in a bowl of water. Then cut off the woody portion of the stalks, about an inch and half. Hint: Asparagus bunches usually come bound with two rubber bands, one at the top and one at the bottom. If you leave the rubber band on the end with the cut stalks, it makes it a lot easier to cut the asparagus.
Dry the asparagus by laying it out on a kitchen towel and cover with another towel. Line a baking sheet with foil (to make clean up easier) and spread the asparagus on the baking sheet. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil (not EVOO, which has too low a burn point) and move the asparagus around until coated with the oil. Generously salt and pepper.
Place in the oven for 8-15 minutes, depending on how thick the asparagus is. When done, they should be cooked through, but not mushy. Remove from the oven and let the asparagus cool for 10 minutes. Put the asparagus in a blender and then add the stock. Blend on high for several minutes until no asparagus bits remain. The soup should be creamy and a little frothy. Add the vinegar, which brightens the flavors. Note: I add a dash of vinegar or lemon juice or zest to almost all soups. It really brightens up the flavors. Warm and serve. It's also wonderful served cool on a warm summer evening.
