Recipes: Shallot soup with watercress purée

This delicate soup packs a subtle punch with its vibrant seasonal ingredients

Ingredients

10 large banana shallots , peeled and sliced - the finer the better
3 garlic cloves , sliced
few sprigs thyme
50g butter
2 potatoes , peeled and diced
1l chicken or vegetable stock
3 bay leaves
200ml double cream

FOR THE WATERCRESS PUREE

1 small onion , finely diced
1 garlic clove , sliced
25g butter
150ml double cream
3 bunches watercress , washed
squeeze lemon juice

1. Pour in the stock so the liquid barely covers the ingredients and add the bay leaves. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or so until the potatoes are soft. Add the cream and bring back to the boil, then remove from the heat.
2. Take out the thyme sprigs and blend the mixture with the remaining butter. Push through a sieve for a smoother soup. Season and reheat before serving.
3. To make the watercress purée, fry the onion with the garlic in the butter over a gentle heat for 10 minutes until soft. Add the double cream and reduce by half. n Blanch the watercress in boiling water and then immediately put it in ice-cold water. Remove, drain and dry thoroughly.
4. Put into a blender with the onions and a little of their reduced cream and blitz. Add more of the cream until you have the consistency of thick double cream. Season with salt, white pepper and a little lemon juice.
5. To serve, warm the soup gently and serve with a tablespoon of watercress purée on top.

NUTRITION PER SERVING:

663 kcalories, protein 6,2g, carbohydrate 15,3g, fat 64,4 g, saturated fat 36,1g, fibre 2,8g, salt 2,35 g 

source: bbcgoodfood.com