Asparagus Soup with Cream Puff Croutons

For the puffs: Boil 125 ml (approximately 1/2 cup) water with salt and butter in a pot. Add flour to pot all at once and stir. Continue stirring dough over medium heat until large ball of dough forms and white film settles on bottom of pot.

Now, transfer dough to bowl and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and knead well using electric hand mixer. Pour batter into piping bag with nozzle and pipe about 16 small dots on a greased baking tray, leaving space between dots.

Bake in preheated oven at 200°C (approximately 400°F) for 15-20 minutes. Remove puffs from oven and allow to cool

For the soup: Peel bottom third of green asparagus and peel white asparagus entirely.

Add both colors of asparagus to saucepan, cover with water and simmer for about 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve and keep aside.

Remove tips from white and green asparagus and cut asparagus into 2-3 cm (approximately 3/4 - 1 inch) long pieces. Peel and dice onion and potato.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in pan and saute onions. Add potatoes and asparagus pieces and deglaze with white wine. Add in broth, cover pan and simmer for about 20 minutes until soft.

Add cream to soup and puree. Drain puree through a sieve and either let simmer a little or add broth to reach desired consistency. Put green and white asparagus tips in soup and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Finally, add crème fraîche and season with salt and nutmeg.