Potato And Watercress Soup With Crisp Potato Pancakes And Smoked Salmon

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound Yellow Finn potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon chopped marjoram
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 bunches fresh watercress, well rinsed, tough stems removed, and roughly chopped
Potato Pancakes [3]
1/4 pound smoked salmon
1/4 cup sour cream
1 ounce salmon caviar

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the potatoes, marjoram, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add the watercress and cook 2 minutes longer.
Remove from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender, or in batches in a blender. Add the cream and return to medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, adding more cream, if a thinner soup is desired. Adjust seasoning, to taste.
Drape each potato pancake wedge with a slice of smoked salmon, topped with 2 teaspoons of sour cream, and 1/2 teaspoon of salmon caviar. Serve with soup.