Hold the parsley by the stems and dip into boiling water, or pour boiling water over them from a steam kettle to wilt. Cool, then cut the leaves off, discarding the stems and reserve.
Wash and clean the asparagus if needed. Chop the asparagus ends into pieces, then pureée in a food processor with the onion, leek and celery.
Sweat the vegetable mixture in 2 tablespoons of oil, then add the rice, deglaze with the wine and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock and bring to a brisk simmer.
Cook for 15-20 minutes on low heat, covered, until the rice is tender.
Working carefully in batches with a blender or an immersion blender, pureé the soup with the cream.
Gradually pour in the remaining oil to reduce the friction of the blades and make a velvety-smooth pureé.
Pass the soup through a fine strainer, season to taste with salt and white pepper until it tastes good to you.
Puree a few cups of the soup with the parsley or other herbs, straining it back into the soup to refresh the color. Immediately pour the soup into a metal bowl, place in a sink of cold water and cool, whisking occasionally.
To serve, reheat gently over low heat, stirring frequently. Pour into pre-warmed bowls and garnish each serving with a drizzle of sour cream and a decorative sprinkle of freshly blanched vegetables.
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Notes
How to serve asparagus ends soup
Add quickly blanched, warm vegetables such as asparagus tips, fava beans, peas, chopped nettles or other green vegetables. Season them to taste with salt, extra virgin olive oil and herbs.
For a dramatic presentation, pour the soup at the table into each bowl onto the vegetables.
You can also drizzle the soup with sour cream flavored with lightly toasted celery seeds and grated lemon zest.
The soup can also be served from a mug and sipped if you don't add vegetables. Make sure to drizzle some olive oil on the top for a pretty garnish that adds flavor.
For the most intense color, chill the soup before pureeing with the blanched herbs.