Green asparagus cream soup with almonds

Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus at their natural breaking point; cut the tips about an inch and a half (five centimetres) long and chop the stalks.

Put water on to boil for the tips and heat the oven to 350F for the almonds.

Melt the butter, add the onions, turn to medium and cook two minutes, stirring.

Add the chopped stalks and sweat a couple of minutes; add the drained potatoes and cover with stock.

Bring to a boil on high, then turn down to medium and simmer about 40 minutes, skimming the foam and the separated butter.

Spread the almonds in one thin layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 350F about five minutes, maybe less, until golden brown; cool.

Blanch the asparagus tips in boiling water about a minute if thin, two if thicker, then refresh in ice water to keep the chlorophyll bright green; drain.

Spinach mousse: blend washed spinach with cold water, half the spinach first then the rest; rest about two minutes until the foam separates from the water, and use the foam.

Check the soup is done: the potato and asparagus should be very soft.

Blend the soup in two batches, starting on low speed, then pass it through a fine sieve to remove the asparagus fibres.

Return to a boil and add the cream, whisking to bring it back to temperature.

Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Stir in the spinach mousse to turn the soup green again.

Warm two blanched asparagus tips briefly, put them in a preheated soup plate, add the soup, garnish with a tip or two and sprinkle with almonds.