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1
Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes.
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2
Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate.
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3
Crumble bacon when cool; set aside.
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4
Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings.
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5
Melt butter with drippings in a saucepan over medium heat.
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6
Cook and stir celery and onion in the saucepan until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.
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7
Whisk flour into the mixture and cook for 1 minute.
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8
Whisk in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
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9
Add potato and chopped asparagus stalks, reserving the asparagus tips for later.
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10
Season with salt and ground black pepper.
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11
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
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12
Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full.
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13
Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree.
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14
Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot.
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15
Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
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16
Cook and stir mushrooms and asparagus tips in the same skillet used for bacon until mushrooms give up their liquid, 5 to 8 minutes.
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17
Season with salt and ground black pepper, if needed.
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18
Stir mushrooms, asparagus tips, and half-and-half cream to pureed soup.
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19
Cook until thoroughly heated.
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20
Garnish soup with crumbled bacon.
