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Recipe Detail Page
Pear and Watercress Soup with Stilton Crouton
Holiday 2010
The technique of adding watercress to the hot soup at the very end preserves its fresh peppery flavour and bright green colour. Don’t bother removing the watercress stems, as they purée very well.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 baguette
2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
3 to 4 large soft ripe pears, preferably Bartlett
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
2 to 3 large shallots, sliced
2 cups (500 mL) sliced potato such as russet or Yukon Gold, about 1 large
4 cups (1 L) chicken broth or stock
1 to 2 bunches watercress, lightly packed about 3 cups (750 mL)
1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream, divided
Salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) crumbled Stilton cheese
1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Diagonally cut six 1/2-inch-thick (1-cm) slices of baguette to make croutons. (Reserve remaining baguetteto pass in a breadbasket at the table.) Brush both sides of slices with olive oil; lay on a baking tray. Bake, turning slices halfway through, for 6 to 8 minutes or until toasty and hard.
2 Meanwhile, peel, core and slice pears; there should be 31/2 to 4 cups (875 mL to 1 L). Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heatuntil bubbly. Add shallots; cook 5 minutes or until softened. Add potatoes and pears; pour in broth.
3 Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 25_minutes. (If making ahead, cover and chill for up to 2 days. Reheat until very hot before proceeding with recipe.)
4 Set aside 6 to 8 watercress sprigs for garnish. Add remaining watercress to hot soup; heat on medium for 5 minutes or until hot.Then purée soup (in batches to prevent blowouts) in a blender until almost smooth.
5 Return soup to saucepan; stir in 1/2 cup (125_mL) cream. Heat until hot. Taste and add salt if needed. (Do not add black pepper, as watercress is peppery enough.)
6 Top croutons with Stilton, pressing lightly into top. Ladle soup into warmed serving bowls. Drizzle remaining whipping cream in soup near bowl edges to garnish. Float crouton in middle; garnish with extra Stilton and a watercress sprig.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
