Shallot Soup With Watercress Puree from Olive Magazine

• 10 shallots (10 Banana large peeled and sliced the finer the better)
• 3 garlic cloves (sliced)
• 2 potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 50 g butter
• 1 liter vegetable stock
• 3 bay leaves
• 200 ml double cream
• watercress puree
• 1 small onion (finely diced)
• 1 garlic clove (sliced)
• 25 g butter
• 150 ml double cream
• 3 bunches watercress (washed)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Gently cook shallots, garlic and thyme in 40g of the butter until translucent.
2. Add potatoes and cook for a further ten minutes.
3. Pour in stock so liquid barely covers the ingredients and add bay leaves, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft, add the cream and bring back to the boil, then remove from heat.
4. Take out thyme sprigs and blend mixture with remaining butter push through a sieve for a smoother soup.
5. Season and reheat before serving.
6. Watercress puree:.
7. Fry onion with the garlic in the butter on a gentle heat for 10 minutes until soft add the double cream and simmer to reduce by half.
8. Blanch the watercress in boiling water and then immediately plunge into ice cold water remove a drain thoroughly.
9. Put into a blender and with onions and a little of the reduced cream and blitz.
10. Add more cream until the mixture is the consistency of double cream.
11. Season with salt white pepper and a little lemon juice.
12. Serve the reheated soup with a tablespoon of watercress puree on top.

shallots, garlic, potatoes, thyme, butter, vegetable stock, bay leaves, cream, watercress puree, onion, garlic, butter, cream, bunches, lemon juice

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/shallot-soup-with-watercress-puree-from-olive-magazine-417780 (may not work)