Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound asparagus, very thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 medium Vidalia onion, peeled, quartered and sliced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 6-ounce bag baby spinach
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:
• 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
• 2-3 large eggs, hard boiled, cooled, peeled and rough chopped
• 2-3 Tbs fresh chopped chives

PROCEDURE:

Cook the garnishes a bit ahead of time if you like.

Use a large, heavy bottomed soup pot with a splash of olive oil on medium to medium high heat to saute 1 medium sized sliced Vidalia onion and 1 large minced clove of garlic until they soften up a bit.

While you're keeping your eye on that, take a few minutes to cut about 1 pound of asparagus very thinly crosswise. (Cutting the asparagus like this will help keep the soup from being too stringy when we puree it later on.)

Once the onions have softened up, add the asparagus and let that cook along for 2-3 minutes and then add 4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock and bring it up to a simmer.

Adjust the heat and let it cook like that until the asparagus is nice and soft.

When you are happy with that, add the 6-ounce bag of baby spinach...let it wilt into the soup....and then use a hand blender to puree the soup.

At this point, season it with salt and pepper to taste and then add your garnish to each individual bowl of soup.

HINTS:

To hard boil the eggs, place in a small pot with just enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Just as it comes to a boil, set the timer for exactly 12 minutes and adjust the heat so it is gently simmering along. Run under cold water before peeling.