If you’ve ever wondered what you would get if you matched an almost 100-year-old purveyor of caviar with a talented young chef, then a trip to Petrossian West Hollywood is in order. Chef Giselle Wellman has not only developed new ways to enjoy caviar -- with dishes such as a salad that uses butter lettuce instead of blinis with caviar, crème-fraiche-dill-lemon dressing, shallots, chives and hard-boiled egg (pictured left) -- but she has also started saving seeds for a small kitchen garden in the alley behind the restaurant.

Although the Petrossian signature menu, which includes faves such as the Egg Royal and high-end splurges such as the Tsar Imperial Caviar Trio ($390), does not change, the rest of the menu changes seasonally to get the most out of local produce. With asparagus season just around the corner, Chef Giselle was kind enough to share her recipe for a particularly yummy asparagus soup (which, as you can see from the photo below, pairs well with Petrossian's hibiscus champagne). Enjoy!

Asparagus Soup

By Chef Giselle Wellman
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1cup butter
1 cup diced onion
1cup diced leeks
1lb Asparagus, coarsely diced
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup Heavy Cream
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Melt one cup butter at medium heat in a medium sized saucepan. Add the onion and leeks and season with salt and pepper. Let the leeks and onion sweat for 10 minutes without changing in color. Add the chopped asparagus and cook at low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and slowly simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the heavy cream cook for another 5 minutes. Blend soup and season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.