Asparagus and Wild Rice Soup

This request goes out to Jeff in Greytown, KwazuluNatal, SA. I miss you like crazy, brother!

"A Favorite of somebody"

2 lbs asparagus
2 medium onions, medium dice
2 tbps unsalted butter
1 c wild rice
4 c stock
toasted pecans (1 tbsp butter, 1/2 c coarse chopped pecans, 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 c heavy cream, salt n pepper, juice of 1/2 lemon

Wash and trim asparagus. Cut off tips for garnish, set aside. Roughly chop the stalks.
Sweat the onion in butter in a heavy soup pot.
After a few minutes add half the wild rice and all the stock.
Simmer for 40 minutes then add asparagus.
Simmer another 5-10 minutes, until asparagus is al dente.
While soup is cooking, blanche and shock the asparagus tips, set aside.
Simmer the remaining 1/2 c of wild rice for aout 40 minutes or until cooked through.
Preheat oven to 350.
Melt 1 tbps butter in saucepan. add sugar pecans and salt, toss until butter is absorbed.
Place on a sheetpan and toast for 8-10 minutes.
After the soup has cooked for about an hour, puree in a food processor. Pass through a medium strainer to remove any asparagus strings.
Bring the sou pback to a boil and add the asparagus and wild rice garnishes.
(Optional) add heavy cream and re-simmer.