1 Cut Tips From The Asparagus 1 1/2 Inches From Top And Halve Tips Lengthwise If Thick. Reserve For Garnish. Chop The Remaining Asparagus Stalks Into 1/4-Inch Rounds. 2 Melt The Butter In A 4 To 5 Quart Pot On Medium Heat. Add The Onions And Cook Until Translucent, About 5 Minutes. Add The Chopped Asparagus (Not The Spear Tips) To The Onions. Sprinkle With Salt And Pepper To Taste. Cook Another 5 Minutes. 3 Add The Broth, Water, And Thyme To The Pot. Increase The Heat To A Boil, Then Reduce To A Simmer. Simmer, Covered, Until The Asparagus Are Tender, 10 To 15 Minutes. At The End Of Cooking, Stir In The Chopped Parsley. 4 While The Soup Is Cooking, Blanche The Asparagus Tips In A Small Pot Of Boiling, Salted Water (About 1 1/2 Teaspoons Of Salt Per Quart Of Water), Until The Tips Are Just Tender, About 2-4 Minutes, Depending On The Size Of The Asparagus. Drain. Rinse With Cool Water To Stop The Cooking. Set Aside. 5 Use An Immersion Blender To Blend The Soup Until Smooth. (If You Use An Upright Blender, Work In Small Batches, Fill No More Than A Third The Blender Bowl At A Time, And Hold Down The Lid While Blending.) For A Creamy Texture, If You Want, Press The Pur