Watercress Soup Recipe

Today, we are lucky to be able to draw on a wonderful repertoire of traditional soup recipes based on vegetables, fish, meat and game. One of the oldest is watercress soup for which recipes date back to the seventeenth century.

As with all other nourishing vegetable soups, the secret of making this is to let the vegetables gently soften in a good butter in a covered pan to bring out their unique flavour. Good soup must taste distinctly of the things it is made of; don’t let the flavours become confused. Like cooking utensils they only perform to there ability why not visit our online discount store and pick-up some quality bargains. CLICK HERE

2 bunches of watercress

25g (1oz) butter

1 small onion (skinned and finely chopped)

350 g (12oz) potatoes (peeled and diced)

450 ml (½ pint) chicken stock

300 ml (½ pint ) milk

Salt and freshly ground pepper

142 g (5oz) natural yogurt or 150 ml (5fl oz) fresh single cream

1. Wash the watercress and reserve a few sprigs to garnish. Cut away any coarse stalks. Chop the leaves and remaining stalks.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, and gently fry the onion and watercress for about 15 minutes until soft. Add the potatoes, stock, milk and seasoning. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Rub the soup through a sieve or puree in a blender. Reheat gently with 60 ml (4 tbsp) of yoghart or fresh cream but do not boil

4. Pour into a soup tureen or individual bowls, serve garnished with chopped watercress sprigs. Serve the remaining yogurt or fresh cream separately. Serves 4