greener pastures

With success on the tart front it’s time to round out our lazy august supper. A simple chilled soup is the perfect way to beat the heat and put your guests at ease. All soups should really be made a day in advance to allow the flavors to meld. Doing so means no mess in the kitchen the day of. And with a chilled soup no last minute heat. To kick off our weekend dinner for four I’m serving a chilled asparagus soup. And alongside the onion tart- mache greens tossed simply with walnut oil and a pinch of black truffle salt.

Trim and peel the asparagus stalks (if you don’t you will need to strain the soup- much easier to peel them before)

Cut the peeled asparagus into ½ pieces.

Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped asparagus and sauté until bright green, about three minutes.

Save several tips for garnish.

Add the broth. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until asparagus is tender about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Carefully puree with a hand blender.

Stir in the heavy cream. Cool until room temperature, then refrigerate.

Garnish with saved asparagus tips

A mache salad couldn’t be simpler. Drizzle greens with walnut and a pinch of truffle salt.

Toss and serve. The bright green and pungent saltiness is the perfect accompaniment to the onion tart. And oh so French!