Asparagus Mushroom Cream Soup

Begin by placing the bacon in a substantial, deep pan and heat it over a medium-high flame, frequently turning the slices until they are uniformly browned, approximately 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and allow it to cool; set it aside for later use. Set the pan aside as well, reserving 1 tablespoon of the bacon's rendered fat in a small container.

Next, melt the butter combined with the reserved bacon fat in a large cooking vessel over a medium heat source.

Add the celery and onion to the hot butter mixture, stirring constantly until the onion becomes translucent, roughly 4 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for an additional minute. Whisk in the chicken broth, then bring the mixture to a boil. Add the potato and asparagus, setting aside the asparagus tips for later use. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Reduce the heat and allow the soup to simmer for 20 minutes.

Transfer the soup into a blender, filling it no more than halfway. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel and start the blender, using brief pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to purée. Purée the soup in batches until smooth, then pour it into a clean pot. Alternatively, you can use a stick blender and purée the soup directly in the cooking pot.

Heat the same pan used for the bacon, adding the mushrooms and asparagus tips. Cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and ground black pepper if necessary.

Stir the mushrooms, asparagus tips, and half-and-half cream into the puréed soup. Cook until thoroughly heated.

Divide the soup into bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon.