Vichyssoise from Comté

Preparation of the soup:

Peel the potatoes and cut into small cubes. Wash the leeks and cut them into thin rings. Finely chop the sweet onions.

Melt a knob of butter in a large pan and fry the onions, leeks and potatoes on a low heat until they are soft, but not brown.

Add enough chicken broth so that the vegetables are just covered. Season with salt and pepper.

Let the soup simmer gently until the potatoes are cooked, about 15-20 minutes.

Puree the soup with a hand blender until smooth and sieve if desired for an extra fine texture.

Preparation of the watercress cream:

Beat the cream to soft peaks.

Blanch the watercress briefly in boiling water, pour and scare in ice water. Puree the watercress into a smooth coulis.

Carefully mix the watercress coulis with the whipped cream. Add the grated comté and stir until smooth.

Serve:

Spoon the soup into bowls.

Add a spoonful of watercress cream in the middle of each bowl.

Garnish with a few hazelnuts, pieces of candied chestnut and edible flowers.