Creamy Asparagus Soup

Rinse asparagus, then cut off hard ends and discard. Cut remaining asparagus into 8 small pieces and add into 600 ml (approximately 2 1/2 cups) of lightly salted water. Cook until soft (8–10 minutes). Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon, set the asparagus tips aside and puree the stems. Add puree back into cooking water and pour contents of pot through a sieve. Melt butter in a pan and cook shallots until soft. Dust with flour and continue stirring until all butter is absorbed. Add soup liquid and bring to a boil while stirring. Add cream and let boil for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Season with pepper, parsley, nutmeg and saffron. Season as needed with salt.