Vellutata di Asparagi con Orzo Perlato
Cream of Asparagus Soup with Pearled Barley 

Tender, grassy green asparagus, aromatic spring onions, and sweet fennel mingle harmoniously in this soup honoring the first flavors of spring. Adding pearled barley to the mix gives it a little more substance. Accompany the soup with country bread for a nice one-dish supper.

Photo by Guy Hand, www.guyhand.com

Makes 6 first-course servings

6 cups water

Kosher or sea salt

1 cup pearled barley, rinsed

2 pounds asparagus

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 spring onions, bulbs and tender white part of stalks sliced crosswise (about 1 cup)

1 fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and quarters thinly sliced

2 tablespoons all-purpose, unbleached flour

6 cups vegetable or chicken broth, heated to a simmer

6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

Put the barley on to cook before you start the soup. In a large saucepan, combine the water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Slowly pour in the barley. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the barley is tender but still a bit chewy. It should not be mushy at all. Reduce the heat if necessary so that the barley cooks at a gentle, steady simmer. Drain the barley in a colander placed in the sink and let it sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

While the barley is cooking, trim off the tough ends from the asparagus and discard them (or add them to the pot in which you are heating the broth to enhance its flavor; remove them before adding the broth to the soup). Cut the asparagus stalks into 1-inch pieces. Set aside the tips. You should have about 4 1/2 cups asparagus pieces, not including the tips.

In a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the spring onions and fennel, reduce the heat to medium-low, and sauté, stirring from time to time, for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir vigorously to combine. Pour in 1 cup of the broth and stir for a minute or so to incorporate thoroughly. Slowly pour in the remaining 5 cups of broth and add the asparagus pieces—except for the reserved tips—and the parsley sprigs. Increase the heat to medium and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and let the soup cool for 10 minutes.

Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender. Strain the soup through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any tough fibers and return it to the pot. Stir in the cooked barley and reheat the soup over low heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, put the reserved asparagus tips in a steaming basket placed in a pot of boiling water, cover, and steam for 4 to 5 minutes, or just until tender. Alternatively, put the tips in a plastic storage bag along with 1 tablespoon water. Set the open bag in a microwave oven and cook on high for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the tips are bright green and just tender.

To serve the soup, stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese. Ladle the soup into a large serving bowl or tureen and top with the reserved asparagus tips and the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. You can also serve the soup in individual bowls, garnishing each serving with a few asparagus tips and a sprinkle of cheese.

© The Glorious Soups and Stews of Italy, Chronicle Books, 2006.

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