Asparagus and Sugar Snap Pea Soup

ASPARAGUS & SNOW PEA SOUP WITH LEMON-TARRAGON CREAM For pairing with our 2007 Sonoma Valley Sauvignon Blanc.

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. butter
2 large onions, peeled, quartered and sliced
½ cup very thinly sliced celery
½ tsp. salt
2 qt. stock (vegetable or chicken)
1 lb. Snow peas, trimmed, strings removed
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut in 1-inch lengths, tips set aside
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon-Tarragon Cream (see below)

Blanch asparagus tips in salted boiling water until tender. Rinse in cold water to stop cooking; set aside. In a large soup pot over medium heat melt the butter, then add the onions, the celery and the salt. Gently sauté until the onions and celery are limp. Add the stock and bring mixture to a boil. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until the onions and celery are completely cooked through. Now add the asparagus (except for the tips). One minute later add the snow peas. Simmer for approximately 7 or 8 minutes or until peas and asparagus are tender but still bright green. Quickly puree all the soup and strain out vegetable fibers. Return strained soup to pot and reheat but do not boil or the pretty bright green color will be lost. Correct for seasonings and ladle hot soup into warm serving bowls. Garnish with an asparagus tip or two and a tablespoon of Lemon-Tarragon Cream. Serve immediately. Makes approximately 10 servings.

Lemon-Tarragon Cream

½ cup crème fraiche or sour cream
2 tsp. fresh lemon thyme, chopped
2 tsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
2 tsp. fresh chives, thinly sliced
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix together the crème fraiche (or sour cream), herbs, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until soup is ready to be served. Makes a little more than ½ cup of soup topping.

Complementary Wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Water: Still

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