Spring Asparagus Soup With Lemon Creme Fraiche

Picked this up out of a local magazine...Sounds really yummy! Haven't made it yet...

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

•  soup
• 2  bunches asparagus spears, cleaned, ends snapped off
•  cold  chicken stock, drained of fat
•  pepper
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup creme fraiche
•  lemon creme fraiche
• 1⁄4 cup creme fraiche
• 1⁄2 lemon, zest of
• 1⁄2  lemon, juice of
• 2  radishes, thinly sliced to resemble matchsticks

Directions

1. To blanch asparagus:.
2. Bring pot of water to rolling boil add steamer basket. Add asparagus stalks. Cover and cook for 5 minutes but still bright green. Immediately transfer to bowl of ice water to stop cooking.
3. To make soup:.
4. When asparagus is cold remove from water. Cut into large chunks. Place in blender. Add enough cold chicken stock to cover stalks. Add pepper, blend until mixture is thin puree. Continuing to blend, add olive oil in steady stream.
5. Blend in 1/4 cup creme fraiche. Strain soup through a fine-mesh strainer into large pot. Set aside.
6. To make lemon creme fraiche:.
7. In medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup creme fraiche, lemon zest and lemon juice. Using wire whisk, whip until thickened. Set aside.
8. To serve soup:.
9. Warm soup over medium heat until it bubbles. Ladle into bowls. Top with lemon creme fraiche and radish matchsticks. Serve immediately.
10. *Variation: Serve soup cold with lump of crab meat in each bowl.