Taillevents Cream Of Watercress Soup With Caviar Recipes

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.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leeks and potatoes; sauté until leeks are tender, about 4 minutes. Add chicken broth. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chopped watercress. Cover; let stand until watercress wilts, about 5 minutes.
• Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to saucepan. Whisk in sour cream. Thin soup with milk to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate.) Stir soup over low heat just until heated through (do not boil).
• Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallops to skillet and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper.
• Ladle soup into bowls. Place 1 scallop atop soup in each bowl. Garnish with watercress sprigs and serve.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, stock, salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat. Simmer, stirring once, until cauliflower is very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in watercress.
• Working in batches, puree soup in a blender, filling no more than halfway each time. Return soup to saucepan; cover to keep warm. To serve, divide among 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with a sprig of watercress, and season with pepper.

Steps:

• When measuring the watercress leaves and stems, pack them down in the measuring cup.
• Simmer leeks, potatoes, water and salt together, partially covered, 40-50 minutes until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in watercress and simmer 5 minutes.
• While the watercress is simmering, you can prepare the following optional garnish if you wish: a small handful of watercress leaves boiled 30 seconds, rinsed in cold water and drained.
• Mash the vegetables in the soup with a fork, or puree in blender. Correct seasoning.
• Off heat and just before serving, stir in cream or butter by spoonfuls. Decorate with the optional watercress leaves.