DINNER: Three Part Cream of Asparagus and Ham Soup.

Sometimes, everything aligns and comes together perfectly. This recipe, which actually came to me in a dream, is one of those. It's appropriate, because this is one dreamy soup!

As the title suggests, this hearty soup is made in three parts , then cooked together to come into one fantastic whole.

INGREDIENTS
One bunch (approx. 1 pound) of asparagus
Three carrots
1 can chicken broth
8 oz. diced pancetta
3 oz. heavy cream
1 small, white onion
1 green onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour

The three parts to make are the vegetable base, the ham base, and the chicken broth. I'm making the vegetable and ham base ahead of time so at dinner, all I have to do is combine in a pot and cook.

Vegetable Base: Cut off the crowns of the asparagus and set aside. Cut the remaining stocks of asparagus into 1/2 to 1 inch lengths.  Peel the carrots with a potato peeler and also cut into the same lengths.

Put the asparagus and carrots into a steamer and steam for 10 minutes.

Take the steamed asparagus and carrots, put into the blender and add one cup of the broth in the bottom of the steamer and puree.

Steam the crowns for five minutes, Put the puree and the crowns into a sealable container and set aside in the refrigerator.

Ham Base: Take the green onion and chop up the green stalks to use as a garnish later.

Put the bulb and the small onion into a processor and chop finely.

Just like this...

The steamer I use is on top of a three-quart stock pot. I melt the butter in the pot and cook the onions until translucent in the butter, stirring the entire time (about 3 minutes).

Add the pancetta, salt, pepper, and garlic. Cook for another 15 minutes on medium/low stirring occasionally. The fat from the pancetta will render down and combine with the butter.

Put in a sealable bowl and in the fridge until you're ready to cook.

I want to cook outside today, so I'm using the side burner of my gas grill (I collect barbecues like some people collect art). The three parts...vegetable base, ham base, and chicken broth...are all put together in the stock pot and cooked on high until boiling.

Once a good boil is achieved, put the flame on low and stir everything together thoroughly.

Put a loose lid on, lower the heat to low, and simmer for half and hour, stirring occasionally.

Put the lid on tight, take off the flame and set aside for five minutes. Then, add the cream and stir in.

Sprinkle some shredded cheese and the chopped green onion stalks for garnish and flavor, then serve.