Preparation

1. Rinse the asparagus and snap off the tough ends. Peel the bottom inch or two of thick spears, and chop into pieces for even cooking.
2. Reserve a few asparagus tips for garnish.
3. In a pot, warm olive oil or butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion with a pinch of salt and cook until soft and glossy.
4. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, being careful not to brown it.

Cooking

1. Add the chopped asparagus to the pot and stir for a minute to coat it in onion and garlic.
2. Pour in the broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered until asparagus is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. If reserved tips were saved, add them in for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

Blending

1. Blend the soup using an immersion blender or in batches with a countertop blender until smooth.
2. Return the blended soup to the pot, taste again and adjust flavors with cream, lemon, or more pepper as desired.

Serving

1. Serve hot, garnished with reserved asparagus tips, a swirl of cream, croutons, or grated Parmesan.