Be sure the vegetable broth you use to make this risotto is very delicate. If you have a stronger broth, dilute it by half with water to insure that it is not too salty, and that it doesn't overwhelm the taste of the asparagus. As always, use only the best virgin olive oil and real Parmesan cheese.

1 1/2 lbs. asparagus
salt to taste
2 lemons
4 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
2/3 cup white wine
5 - 6 cups light vegetable broth, low salt
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, more for the table
garnish: chopped fresh dill

Trim the tough ends off the asparagus spears, and cut the stems into 1-inch pieces. Reserve the tips, and cook the pieces in about 2 quarts boiling water, with 2 teaspoons salt, for about 8 minutes or until tender. Drain the asparagus, saving the water in the pot. Cook the reserved tips in the same water for only about 4 minutes, then drain them and set them aside.

Finely grate the zest (only the zest! - no white pith) from the lemons, and squeeze the juice. You should have about a tablespoon of grated lemon zest.

In a food processor, purée the cooked asparagus stems with 2/3 cup of the reserved water, the lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. It doesn't matter if the purée is not perfectly smooth. Heat the vegetable broth.

In a large non-stick sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook the onion in it over medium heat for about 6 - 7 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to color. Add the rice, and stir for a couple minutes. Pour in the white wine, and stir as it is absorbed.

Add a soup ladle of the heated vegetable broth to the rice, and stir, keeping the mixture at a simmer. When the broth is nearly all absorbed, add another ladle, and keep stirring. Do this for 3 or 4 ladles, then add the asparagus purée. Again, stir gently as the risotto simmers, until most of the liquid is absorbed. It will have a different texture now that you've added the purée, making more of a sauce around the rice.

When it seems quite thick, add broth again, a ladle at a time, until the rice is al dente - tender but still firm. Just as it is reaching this point, stir in most of the asparagus tips, a teaspoon or two of lemon juice, and then the Parmesan cheese. Taste and correct the salt if needed. Stir in one more ladle of broth and serve the risotto immediately in wide, shallow bowls.

Put an asparagus tip or two on top of each serving, and scatter chopped dill weed over it. Pass additional Parmesan cheese at the table.

Serves 6.

COLD ASPARAGUS SOUP

I made this from leftovers once when I had a lot of steamed asparagus, but you could certainly start from scratch, cooking the asparagus just for this very refreshing soup.

3 cups cooked asparagus
3 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbs. sour cream
3 Tbs. sweet cream
salt and white pepper to taste
2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill weed
a squeeze of lemon juice
a pinch of cayenne
garnish: fresh sprigs of dill, creme fraiche

optional: a little splash of dry white wine

Combine all the soup ingredients and purée them in batches in a blender. Taste. Correct the seasoning if needed with little bits of salt, pepper, lemon juice and cayenne. If you want an absolutely, perfectly smooth soup, pass it through a strainer and discard the fibrous pulp. Chill the soup well.

Serve very cold, garnished with creme fraiche and dill sprigs