Authentic Mrs. Randolph's Asparagus soup

[donna]

This recipe is from Mary Randolph. It from her book "The Virginia House Wife "(1838).

Take four large bunches of asparagus, scrape it nicely, cut off one inch of the tops, and lay them in water, chop the stalks and put them on the fire with a piece of bacon, a large onion cutup, and pepper and salt; add two quarts of water, boil them till the stalks are quite soft, then pulp them through a sieve, and strain the water to it, which must be put back in the pot; put into it a chicken cut up, with the tops of asparagus which had been laid by, boil it until these last articles are sufficiently done, thicken with flour, butter and milk and serve it up.

 

[R. Porter]

What does a chicken cut up mean? Is it meat on the bone like drumstick, short joint, etc., or is it meat off the bone?

 

[donna]

I think it meat off bone cut up.

 

[KianGaf]

It must be white asparagus season in Europe. It was on the menu in several restaurants in both Germany and Belgium during my recent visits. I've never tried the white variety but I'm a big fan of the green type. It is one of my favourite vegetables.