Asparagus Soup

This is not a traditional recipe, one which Silvana Palmira developed in Melbourne and always did at her restaurant when asparagus was in season. It can be served either with a drizzle of olive oil at the last minute or, if you wish to make it 'more English' with a swirl of cream.

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 stalks of celery roughly chopped
3 stalks of parsley roughly chopped
a few basil leaves
500 grams asparagus, cut into three parts, the tough ends, the tips and the middle
litre of water
100 ml Olive Oil, approx
Salt and pepper

Put the celery, parsley and basil all together in a saucepan with the water and in that cook the tough ends of the asparagus stalks

Strain the broth

Then you cut up the middle tender part which has been peeled and chopped very fine, cook in the broth and then vitamize.

Then add salt and pepper, olive oil (Should be a delicate flavoured oil, not too fruity)

Then cook the tips for a minute in this mixture.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil