Pea and watercress soup with emmenthal quenelles

This is a slightly unusual soup that has a delicate peppery taste.  The presentation is enhanced by the emmenthal quenelles (or are they meringues).  It is an excellent eclectic dinner party starter.

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

Cooking Time: 20 Mins

Total Time: 30 Mins

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

60 gms            Butter       

60 gms            Onion  - chopped roughly       

1                    Leek  - chopped roughly         

100 cl              Stock  - chicken       

450 gms          Peas  - shelled        

2 bunches        Watercress

10 cl               Cream       

                     Pepper  - freshly ground, black 

                     Salt          

For the emmental quenelles

2                    Egg whites

80 gms            Emmennthal cheese  - grated   

60 cl               Milk         

To serve

                     Emmennthal cheese  - grated   

Method

To cook the soup…

Heat the butter in a heavy-based pan, add the onion and leek and cook gently for 5 minutes - until softened.  Add the stock and bring to the boil, then add the peas and simmer until tender.  Stir in the watercress and then pour into a blender and process until very smooth.

Put the cream into the soup and reheat, without letting it boil.  Season to taste.

In the meantime, make the Emmenthal quenelles…

Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and gently fold in the cheese.  Use 2 tablespoons to shape the mixture into quenelles: to do this, take a tablespoonful of the mixture and then shape it with the second spoon, turning it between the two.  Bring the milk to a simmer in a large pan.  Poach the quenelles in it for 4 minutes, until set - turning them over halfway through.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well.

To serve…

Pour the soup into warm bowls and serve topped with the cheese quenelles and some grated

Emmenthal.

Wine recommendations

An aromatic white wine.

Conventional

     Pinot Blanc

Interesting

     Mâcon

     Quincy

     Riesling

     Vouvray sec or sparkling