Watercress Soup Recipe

There's something very special about home-made soups and this watercress soup is not only special but it's also very good for you.

Watercress is classed as a super-food as it's packed with iron, folic acid, calcium and is a great source
of vitamin C.



Watercress soup recipe: -

Prep time: 3 minutes - Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 3

1 onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
5½ oz(160g) of fresh watercress
1½ pints(30 fl-oz) of chicken stock
1 cup(10 fl-oz) of semi-skimmed milk at room temperature
1 tbsp of corn flour
1 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of low-fat crème fraîche at room temperature (optional)
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
Chopped fresh chives for garnish
Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper



First take the bunch of watercress and wash it with cold water, then pat dry. Cut of the stalks and put them to one side.

Then take a large saucepan preferably one with a thick bottom and place it over a low light. Add the tablespoon of olive oil and heat it through, add the onions and sweat with the lid on for 5 minutes.

Next add the watercress stalks & garlic and sweat for a further 3 minutes with the lid on, making sure that the vegetables don't colour.

Then remove the lid and add the stock, pinch of cayenne pepper and half of the watercress leaves; bring to the boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, season lightly at this point.

Then add the milk and stir to combine, then put the soup to one side to cool. Take the remaining watercress leaves and place them in the bottom of a food processor.

When the soup has cooled considerably add it to the leaves in the food processor and blend; keeping the texture fairly rustic.

Next take the corn flour and mix it with a little water and stir until it's combined. Return the soup to a clean pan and add the corn flour mixture. Then gently simmer for 2-3 minutes to warm through and thicken slightly, ensuring that the soup doesn't boil. Test the seasoning and alter if required.

Then simply plate up the watercress soup and for an optional bit of luxury place a dollop of crème fraîche in the centre of each bowl and stir in, then garnish with some chopped chives, and serve with some French bread.


Safety advice:

It’s advisable to allow soup to cool considerably before blending it in a food processor. When the liquid has cooled for a few minutes it can be blended in batches. It’s advisable not to fill the food processor above halfway when doing this.

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