Cold Asparagus Soup With Quail Eggs And Caviar

Add the water to a saucepan and season with salt. Bring the liquid to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 3 minutes. Remove and drain, reserving the water and asparagus.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onions and leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and flour. Continue to cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked asparagus and reserved liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes, or until the asparagus are very tender. Using a hand-held blender, puree the soup until smooth. Remove and strain, discard any leftover fibers. Add the liquid back to the saucepan and whisk in the cream. Reseason with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and chill the soup completely. Garnish each soup with a drizzle of creme fraiche, 2 quail egg halves, caviar and chives.

This recipe yields 6 servings.