Julia Child's Chilled Asparagus Soup

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sliced onions
2 tbsp butter
1 pound fresh asparagus, washed and trimmed
1 quart lightly salted boiling water
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp flour (use gluten free flour if desired)
1/4 cup heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS
~Cook the butter and onions slowly in a saucepan until tender and translucent. 
~Meanwhile, cut 2.5-3" of tender green from the tip ends of the asparagus; drop them into the boiling water and boil three minutes, or until barely tender. Dip out with a skimmer and refresh the asparagus tips briefly in a bowl of ice water to set the color; drain and reserve.
~Chop the remaining stalks into 1/2" lengths and add to the onions with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes. 
~Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for three minutes more.  Remove from heat, and when the bubbling stops, blend in the hot asparagus water.
~Simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until tender enough to puree.
~Cut just the tips off of the blanched asparagus tops; reserve the tips for final decoration.
~Add the lower parts of the tips to the soup and puree the soup in a blender or food processor.  If stringy, strain through a fine mesh sieve.
~Correct seasoning, chill uncovered, and stir in chilled cream.  Decorate with reserved asparagus tips.


Yield:  1 quart


Note:  This recipe was presented by Barbara Pool Fenzl, a personal friend of Julia Child's, at Ladies Night Out at Chaparral Pines Golf Club on July 15, 2010.