Ingredients

• 50g/2oz butter
• 2 large banana shallots
• roughly chopped
• 125g/4 ½oz Jersey Royal potatoes
• washed
• scrubbed and thinly sliced
• 450ml/16fl oz chicken stock (vegetarians can substitute vegetable stock)
• 225g/8oz watercress
• roughly chopped
• 150ml/5fl oz double cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 400g/14oz Jersey Royal potatoes
• washed
• 75g/3oz butter
• 4 tbsp chives
• finely chopped
• 110ml/4fl oz double cream
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• watercress
• to garnish

Directions

• For the soup
• heat a pan until hot
• then add the butter and shallots and fry for 2-3 minutes over a low heat until softened
• but not browned.
• Add the potatoes and stock and bring to the boil
• then reduce the heat to simmer for 8-9 minutes
• until the potatoes are just tender.
• Add the watercress and continue to simmer for two minutes
• then remove from the heat and leave to cool for 2-3 minutes.
• Pour the soup into a food processor and blend until smooth.
• Return the soup to the pan and add the cream. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper and grate in a pinch of nutmeg.
• For the Jersey Royals
• place the potatoes into a pan over a medium heat and cover with water. Bring to the boil
• then cook for 8-10 minutes
• or until tender. Drain the potatoes
• then return to the pan.
• Add the butter and chives and roughly crush the potatoes with the back of a fork.
• Meanwhile
• pour the cream into a bowl and add the lemon juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk the cream until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.
• To serve
• place a large spoonful of the crushed potatoes into the centre of each of four shallow soup bowls. Ladle the soup around the crushed potatoes
• leaving islands of potato visible. Top each pile of crushed potatoes with a spoonful of soured cream and a few sprigs of watercress.