Cream Of Watercress Soup With Warm Herbal Drop Scones Food

CREAM OF WATERCRESS SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter and sauté onion until transparent.
• Add potato, watercress, milk and stock.
• Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes
• Blend in a processor.
• Add cream and seasoning. Heat if needed.

WATERCRESS SOUP WITH WHISKEY CREAM

Steps:

• Bring the cream and 2 tablespoons whiskey to a simmer in a medium skillet over medium heat; cook until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon whiskey. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cold.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water, the potato, broth, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potato is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the watercress to the saucepan and simmer until just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the soup to a blender in batches and puree until smooth. Return to the saucepan and bring to a bare simmer; season with salt and pepper.
• Whisk the chilled whiskey cream until soft peaks form. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a dollop of the whipped cream.

COLD CREAM OF WATERCRESS SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan with olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and the watercress stems only and saute until wilted, about 10 minutes.
• Add the chicken stock and potatoes and season well with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath by partially filling your largest mixing bowl with ice cubes and water.
• In batches to avoid overfilling and splattering, ladle the soup into a blender or food processor, adding some of the creme fraiche and watercress leaves with each batch and reserving about 2 dozen whole leaves for a garnish. Puree each batch and transfer to a fine-meshed strainer held over a large mixing bowl that fits inside the ice water bath, using a rubber spatula to press the puree through the strainer. Taste the puree, adjust the seasonings, if necessary, with more salt and pepper, and stir in the lemon juice.
• Place the bowl of soup inside the ice water bath and chill it until cool, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Remove the bowl of soup from the ice water bath, dry its underside, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
• Before serving, taste the soup. If it is too thick, thin it with a little cold milk, chicken stock, or water, to a thick, creamy consistency. Adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Ladle into chilled bowls and decoratively garnish each serving with a few of the reserved watercress leaves.

CREAM OF WATERCRESS SOUP WITH WARM HERBAL DROP SCONES

Steps:

• In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, over medium-high heat, sweat the onion, leek, and celery in butter, until soft. Add potato and chicken or vegetable stock. Simmer gently, uncovered, 25 minutes. Add cream and watercress and simmer, 2 minutes. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree until smooth. Season to taste. SconesSift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Blend in milk, eggs, butter, and herbs. Pass this batter through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, I0 minutes. Heat the safflower oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Pour a tablespoon of batter onto the pan. Cook on both sides, about 30-40 seconds per side or golden brown.PresentationPour soup into warmed plates. Garnish with a swirl of whipped cream and top with a tiny sprig of watercress. Serve warm drop scones separately.

WATERCRESS SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and celery and sauté over a medium heat for 5 mins until pale golden. Stir in the potato and stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 10 mins or until the potato is tender.
• 2. Stir in the watercress, cover and cook for a further 5 mins or until the watercress is wilted. Transfer the soup to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Return the soup to the rinsed out pan add the milk, nutmeg, lemon juice and seasoning to taste. Gently reheat until piping hot and serve with crusty bread.