Instructions: In a large bowl, combine chicken meat, onion, leeks, celery, carrot, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the lemon thyme, pepper, and lemon zest and mix well. Add egg whites and mix well. Add vegetable mixture to cold stock and place in a large stockpot. Place on low to medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring often so that the vegetable mixture does not stick to the bottom and burn. Once the stock has come to a boil, stop stirring. The vegetable mixture will form a clump or "raft" on top of the liquid. Let the mixture boil gently for 1 hour. Dont boil it too hard or the raft will break apart.

At the end of 1 hour, turn off the stove and allow the soup to sit for 10 minutes. Strain soup through a fine strainer lined with a paper coffee filter, discarding the vegetables.

To serve, reheat soup with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Place 4 spears of asparagus in each serving bowl. Pour hot soup over asparagus and serve immediately.

Serves four.

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