Cream of asparagus soup

Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat and add the finely diced onion with a large pinch of salt.

Cook until perfectly soft and golden, about ten minutes.

Add chicken broth or stock and a couple cups of water, raise to high and bring to a simmer.

Simmer the onions a further fifteen minutes so they are fully sweet and cooked.

Cut the tips off the asparagus and cut down the spear about every inch; the woody bottoms can go in because the soup is strained.

Add the asparagus, return to high and cook five to ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until barely tender and still green — it should smash under the back of a wooden spoon.

Turn off the heat and puree perfectly smooth with a stick blender, about three minutes.

Pass through a mesh strainer to catch the tough fibres.

Return to low heat and season with cayenne, black pepper and a good amount of salt.

Stir in half a cup of heavy cream.

Variation: whisk a splash of whipping cream with finely grated Parmesan and lemon zest for a minute, until it thickens enough to sit on the surface.

Ladle into hot bowls, drizzle over the parmesan lemon cream and swirl with a wooden skewer; finish with more lemon zest and a sprinkle of cayenne.