Recipe By Chef Jonathan Waxman, from Italian, My Way

The Italian way is always the most direct, simple and delicious. This soup epitomizes that philosophy. It also uses what we would normally discard, so it is economical as well. Remember those ugly ends of asparagus we saved in the "Raw Shaved Asparagus with Lemon Dressing" recipe? Well, here is the way to maximize your purchase and enhance your repertoire. Asparagus ends, though bitter and fibrous raw, create a delicious soup—perhaps worthy of the gods—with just a little effort.

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus ends
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled and diced
• 3 Yukon gold or white potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Wash the asparagus, then chop into small pieces.

2. In a heavy pot, heat the olive oil and add the onions, potatoes and asparagus. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until all the vegetables are golden in color. This will take about 10 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for an hour.

3. Let the soup cool. In a blender, in small batches, purée the soup, and then strain through a sieve to remove the fibrous bits. Season the soup with sea salt and black pepper and serve cold or hot.