Tipsy cream of asparagus soup à la Didi

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 ½ liters of water
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp vegetable broth, instant
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 kg asparagus, white
• 6 cl brandy (e.g. Chantre Rouge)
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 4 tbsp pine nuts
• 400 ml whipped cream
• 1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with a little water

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

First, bring 1.5 liters of water with 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of instant vegetable stock, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of butter to a boil. Peel the asparagus and cook it with the washed peels in the boiling water for 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, roast the pine nuts. Remove the asparagus and peels from the cooking water. Discard the peels. Cut the asparagus into pieces approximately 1.5-2 cm in size and return them to the cooking water. Add the brandy, white wine, and 200 ml of cream. Mix the cornstarch with the water. Bring the soup to a boil, add the mixed cornstarch, and simmer gently for 5 minutes while stirring. Whip the remaining 200 ml of heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Ladle the soup into soup bowls or soup plates and serve with a dollop of whipped cream and pine nuts.