Recipe

Step 1: Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and shallots or onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

Step 2: Add asparagus and stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until asparagus is tender, about 8 minutes.

Step 3: Add spinach, cover and simmer until wilted, about 4 minutes.

Step 4: Add the parsley. Purée the soup until smooth.

Step 5: Sift the soup into a large bowl, season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap and chill until cold about two hours or up to one day. Just before serving, mix the avocado, lemon juice and sour cream in a small bowl. (If using crab or shrimp, add it into the mix.) Be sure to taste the chilled soup; often chilled foods need additional salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and place a small bit of the avocado mixture in the centre. If you go for the caviar option, add a bit on top of the garnish.

See more recipes from Kathleen Flinn.

Reprinted with permission from Kathleen Flinn’s The Kitchen Counter Cooking School (2011 Viking).