Recipe: Shallot soup with watercress pesto (From Wimbledon Guardian)

Recipe: Shallot soup with watercress pesto

8:10am Tuesday 12th February 2013 in Freetime

Serves 6 generously

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

You’ll need:
1 kg shallots, chopped
175g butter
25g garlic
20g thyme
10g sugar
20g salt
1.75 ltr stock
250ml double cream

For the watercress pesto:
150g watercress
100ml olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon of grated Parmesan
salt and pepper

What to do:

Fry the shallots gently in the butter for 5-10 minutes, add the chopped garlic, thyme, sugar
and salt.

Pour in the stock bring to the boil, cook for 5-10 minutes then add the double cream. Bring
back to the boil then blitz in a blender, pass through a fine sieve, check seasoning and serve.

For the watercress pesto, put all the ingredients into a blender and buzz. Drizzle a little pesto onto the soup before serving.

Recipe devised by Chef Paul Collins

Submitted by www.UKshallot.com