Cold White Asparagus and Yuzu Soup With Crab Salad and Bay Leaf Salt

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced white asparagus (about 1 pound, trimmed)
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
1 lemon grass stalk, trimmed and cut into 4 pieces
1 cup whole milk
¼ vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 tablespoons yuzu juice available at Japanese markets, fresh Meyer lemon juice or fresh lime juice, more to taste
Sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Crab salad (see recipe)
Bay leaf salt (see recipe)

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
  292 calories; 21 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 44 milligrams cholesterol; 444 milligrams sodium

6 servings

At least 1 day before serving, make stock: Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes; reduce heat as needed to prevent browning. Add 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) water and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool, then refrigerate, covered, overnight. Then strain, discarding vegetables and spices.
To make soup, heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and leek and cook 10 minutes, covered, stirring often and reducing heat as needed to prevent browning. Add garlic stock and lemon grass, bring to a simmer, and cook 30 minutes.
Remove lemon grass, add milk and vanilla scrapings, and blend in a blender or with an immersion blender for two minutes at high speed. Add yuzu juice and salt and pepper to taste. Strain and refrigerate until very cold. Taste before serving; adjust seasonings if needed.
To serve, divide crab salad among six chilled bowls. At the table, pour cold asparagus soup around salad. Sprinkle with bay leaf salt.

An hour and a half