POTAGE CRECY
Potage crecy a la briarde.
Potage Puree Crecy a la Briarde is a vegetarian French style made mainly with pureed fresh carrots, onions, some potato, and of course, cream and butter. This soup originated from Crecy, a town near Paris, famed for its beautiful carrots. Potage Crecy is part of Escoffier’s classification of vegetable puree-based soups.
INGREDIENTS
600 g (21 oz) carrots (sliced)
1 small onion (sliced)
250 g (8.8 oz) of potatoes (cut into small cubes)
1 litre (4 cups) of water
40 g (1.4 oz) of butter
1 small branch of thyme
2 good pinches of salt
Up to 200 ml (6.7 fl oz) of heavy cream or crème fraiche
4 tbsp of croutons, made from bread pieces, 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter
Pinch of sugar
Coriander or chervil leaves to garnish
PROCEDURE
Melt the butter on low to medium heat and once melted, mix in the onions, thyme and carrots together with salt and a pinch of sugar.
On low heat and with the lid on cook for 5 minutes.
Add the cold water and potatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook, lid on, for 15 minutes until the carrots and potatoes are tender. Whilst simmering, heat the oil and butter in a frypan and cook the bread until golden brown and then drain on a paper towel.
Once the potatoes and carrots are tender, remove the thyme and using a stick blender on medium speed, puree the soup.
Add cream and whisk in to achieve a consistency to your liking.
Filter into another pot through a sieve and melt in a nudge of butter and reheat to the desired temperature.
Pour into bowls, and garnish with the croutons and coriander or chervil leaves.