Watercress Sandwiches - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Watercress Butter
125 g unsalted butter, softened
25 g watercress leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
16 slices thinly cut white bread
32 sprigs watercress, plus extra for garnish

Preparation

The Watercress Butter: In a food processor, blend the butter, watercress leaves, lemon juice, black pepper and cayenne pepper until the mixture is very smooth. Let the mixture stand for about 30 minutes at room temperature or chill it, but bring it back to room temperature before using.
Watercress Sandwiches: Spread each slice of bread with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the watercress butter, and cut 4 rounds from each slice with a 4-cm (11/2 inch) round or fluted cutter.
Arrange a watercress sprig on half the rounds, leaving a little extending over the edge of each and invert the remaining rounds on top to complete the sandwiches.
Serve the sandwiches on a tray decorated with the extra watercress sprigs.