Chilled Fifer Orchard Asparagus and Buttermilk Soup

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)

4 cups local asparagus, chopped
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup heavy cream
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine
1 Idaho potato, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme, pulled off twig and chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, pulled and chopped
1 tablespoon good olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds Chesapeake crabmeat
Fresh asparagus, tarragon, dill and marigold petals to garnish

Pickled Ramps

½ cup sugar
½ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
½ cup water
1 teaspoon red pepper flake
Rind of 1 orange peel
6 black peppercorns
½ pound foraged ramps, cleaned and trimmed

Preparation

In stockpot or large sauce pan over medium heat, add olive oil, butter, onions and garlic. Sweat down and deglaze pan with white wine. Add vegetable stock, buttermilk, heavy cream, asparagus, Idaho potatoes, thyme, and parsley. Cook for 45 minutes at low heat. Use Vitamix or blender to puree smoothly. Serve over 8 ounces Chesapeake crab meat. Garnish with pickled ramps, asparagus, marigold petals, fresh tarragon and dill.

Pickled Ramps: Two days before making soup, combine all ingredients but ramps to make pickle juice. Boil and pour over ramps in small glass jar. Chill.

Ouro Wines natural wine pairing: Domaine de l’Oubliee “Les Valseuses”
This sparkling Chenin Blanc is from the Loire Valley just two hours south of Paris and is made by a former restaurant and wine shop worker named Xavier Courant. We call this style a “Pet-Nat” because the wine is bottle fermented resulting in softer bubbles. Like summer in a bottle, the wine is fresh, lively and balanced. Its name means “The Dancers,” referencing the way the bubbles dance on the tongue.