Asparagus Soup

From : Deborah Madison Vegetable Cooking for Everyone
Ingredients :
- 2 bunch of asparagus
- 1 leek, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of raw white rice
- 6 cups of homemade vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoon of olive oil
- salt and pepper
- fresh lemon juice to taste

Slice asparagus in 3 parts : ends, middles, and tips. Chop middles in 1 inch pieces and set aside. Drop ends into boiling salted water and cook until tender for about 4 minutes. The cooked tips are added later to the finish soup.
Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the leek, onion and rice, sauté until onion are slightly colored. Add one cup of stock and stew for about 10 minutes. Add the chopped asparagus, the remaining stock and simmer partially covered for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool the soup briefly and add 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice. Puree in a food processor, adding fresh coriander, salt and pepper to taste. Separating vegetables from the broth and then adding the broth when puree, give you a better control over texture.