Watercress Oyster And Scallion Soup Recipes

WATERCRESS, OYSTER AND SCALLION SOUP

Steps:

• Shuck the oysters over a bowl and reserve their liquor. Strain the liquor through one or two thicknesses of dampened cheesecloth into another bowl. Set both the oysters and liquor aside.
• Melt the butter in a skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the scallions and saute for about three minutes until just softened. Set aside.
• Cook the carrots in boiling salted water to cover for about two minutes until just tender. Drain immediately and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Pat them dry and set aside.
• In a large, nonreactive saucepan or stock pot, bring the wine to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Slowly stir in the half-and-half and heavy cream. Stir the mixture constantly to prevent curdling. When well mixed, return the pan to the heat and bring to a slow boil. Cook uncovered over high heat for about five minutes until slightly thickened.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the reserved oyster liquor. Add the scallions and carrots and cook for about five minutes until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the watercress and cook gently for about five minutes longer until heated through. Add the oysters and stir briskly for about one minute until their edges just begin to curl. Immediately ladle the soup into bowls and garnish by floating the lemon slices on top of the soup.

WATERCRESS SOUP WITH WHISKEY CREAM

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.

OYSTER SOUP

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed stock pot, melt butter and saute onion, celery, and whites of scallions. Cook briefly then add flour and stir for approximately 5 minutes. Add sherry, stir together, then add cream and milk and whisk until smooth. Allow to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Add salt, pepper, hot sauce and oysters. Bring to a slight simmer. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and scallion tops. Serve the soup topped with a dollop of whole butter.

GREEN ONION AND WATERCRESS SOUP WITH CHEESE CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss bread cubes with cheese on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cheese has melted and bread is lightly crisp, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
• Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Divide bouillon cube, scallions, watercress, and salt between 2 mugs. Pour 1 cup boiling water into each; stir to dissolve bouillon. Serve immediately with cheese croutons.

CHILLED WATERCRESS SOUP WITH ONION CREAM

Steps:

• For soup:
• Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add leek and sauté 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Allow broth to cool uncovered 15 minutes.
• Place 3 cups watercress in blender. Pour half of warm broth mixture over watercress and blend until smooth.
• Add half and half and blend until combined. Transfer soup to bowl. Puree remaining broth mixture in blender until smooth; stir into soup in bowl. If more watercress flavor is desired, puree 1/2 cup watercress with 2 cups soup in same blender. Repeat with more watercress, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• For green onion cream:
• Whisk crème fraîche, white and pale green parts of green onions, and all remaining ingredients in small bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Divide soup among 6 shallow bowls. Drizzle with green onion cream; sprinkle with sliced dark green onion tops.

CREAM OF WATERCRESS SOUP WITH PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS

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.

HOT OYSTERS WITH WATERCRESS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• Cut off tops of watercress. Discard stems. There should be about 3 cups of watercress leaves loosely packed. Bring large quantity of water to boil. Add tops of watercress and let cook about one minute. Drain immediately and run under cold running water. Press to extract as much liquid as possible. Place in clean towel and press further. Place watercress on flat surface and chop finely. There should be about one cup loosely packed. Watercress may be used as is or blended finely in food processor. Put watercress in small saucepan and add half of the heavy cream. Heat gently and set aside.
• In saucepan combine 2 tablespoons of butter, shallots and vinegar. Bring to boil and cook down over high heat until almost all liquid evaporates. Do not allow to evaporate totally. Add remaining cream and bring to boil over high heat. Start stirring rapidly with wire whisk.
• Immediately add remaining butter, tablespoon at a time, stirring vigorously with whisk. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat.
• Place oysters on baking dish and place in oven. Bake 5 minutes. This is done to heat them gently and allow them to be opened easily.
• Remove oysters from oven and, using small knife, preferably oyster knife, to help loosen top shells, open shells of each oyster and discard top shells. It will facilitate things if oysters are opened by 2 people. Reserve bottom shells with oysters.
• Cut away and reserve each oyster. Spoon an equal amount of the watercress mixture over each of reserved shells. Top each serving of watercress with one oyster. Arrange 3 sprigs of watercress on each of 4 dishes. Arrange 4 oysters on the half shell on each bed of watercress.
• Spoon hot butter sauce over oysters and serve immediately.