Watercress Leek Soup Recipes

WATERCRESS, LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Reserve a few watercress leaves for serving. Pick off the remaining leaves in bunches, discarding the thick stems. Roughly chop and reserve the watercress. 2. Heat the oil in a large heavybased saucepan. Add the leek, garlic and celery. Stir for 2 minutes to coat the vegetables in the oil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Do not allow the vegetables to brown. 3. Add the nutmeg, potato and stock. Slowly bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in the chopped watercress. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. 4. Stir the milk and mint into the soup. Using an immersion blender fitted with the chopping blade, whizz for 1 minute, or until puréed to the desired consistency. 5. Gently reheat the soup and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved watercress leaves.

LEEK, PEA & WATERCRESS SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic and fry for 7-10 mins or until softened and translucent.
• Pour in the hot stock and simmer for 5-10 mins. Stir through the watercress, reserving a few leaves for garnish, then the peas, and cook for 5 mins until wilted. Use a hand blender or processor and whizz until smooth. Stir through the lemon juice and zest, then season to taste. Stir through half the parsley. Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining parsley, reserved watercress and a drizzle of olive oil. Swirl through some crème fraîche, then serve with crusty bread, if you like.

EASY WATERCRESS AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Bring stock, leeks, potato, and garlic to a boil in a medium pot. Reduce heat to medium; cook until leeks are tender and potato is soft, about 15 minutes. Add chopped watercress; cook until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Puree the stock and vegetables in a blender until smooth (work in batches, if necessary, to avoid filling blender more than halfway). Season with salt and pepper. Top each serving with sour cream, and garnish with watercress, if desired.

COLD CREAM OF WATERCRESS SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a large saucepan with olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and the watercress stems only and saute until wilted, about 10 minutes.
• Add the chicken stock and potatoes and season well with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath by partially filling your largest mixing bowl with ice cubes and water.
• In batches to avoid overfilling and splattering, ladle the soup into a blender or food processor, adding some of the creme fraiche and watercress leaves with each batch and reserving about 2 dozen whole leaves for a garnish. Puree each batch and transfer to a fine-meshed strainer held over a large mixing bowl that fits inside the ice water bath, using a rubber spatula to press the puree through the strainer. Taste the puree, adjust the seasonings, if necessary, with more salt and pepper, and stir in the lemon juice.
• Place the bowl of soup inside the ice water bath and chill it until cool, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Remove the bowl of soup from the ice water bath, dry its underside, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
• Before serving, taste the soup. If it is too thick, thin it with a little cold milk, chicken stock, or water, to a thick, creamy consistency. Adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Ladle into chilled bowls and decoratively garnish each serving with a few of the reserved watercress leaves.

WATERCRESS AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add broth, potato, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add 2 bunches watercress and cook until bright green and tender, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables and a little liquid to a blender; puree until smooth and pour into a bowl. Puree remaining liquid in blender and return to pot. Stir in pureed vegetables and season soup with salt.
• In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add remaining watercress and toss. Serve soup topped with watercress.

POTATO, LEEK AND WATERCRESS SOUP WITH BAY SCALLOPS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, cover 1/2 of the potatoes with cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and blanch until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and reserve.
• In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and leeks and stir. Cover the pot and saute the onions and leeks until they are translucent, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Uncover, and add the raw potatoes, the bouquet garni, salt and pepper, chicken stock and cream, and stir. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat, uncovered. Simmer until the potatoes are soft, cooking for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Using a blender, puree the soup in batches. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. Return the soup to the pot, add the blanched potatoes, and place over medium heat. When the soup begins to simmer, add the watercress and scallops, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring once. Ladle the soup into hot bowls and sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately.

CHILLED WATERCRESS SOUP WITH ONION CREAM

Steps:

• For soup:
• Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add leek and sauté 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Allow broth to cool uncovered 15 minutes.
• Place 3 cups watercress in blender. Pour half of warm broth mixture over watercress and blend until smooth.
• Add half and half and blend until combined. Transfer soup to bowl. Puree remaining broth mixture in blender until smooth; stir into soup in bowl. If more watercress flavor is desired, puree 1/2 cup watercress with 2 cups soup in same blender. Repeat with more watercress, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• For green onion cream:
• Whisk crème fraîche, white and pale green parts of green onions, and all remaining ingredients in small bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Divide soup among 6 shallow bowls. Drizzle with green onion cream; sprinkle with sliced dark green onion tops.

WATERCRESS SOUP (JULIA CHILD)

Steps:

• When measuring the watercress leaves and stems, pack them down in the measuring cup.
• Simmer leeks, potatoes, water and salt together, partially covered, 40-50 minutes until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in watercress and simmer 5 minutes.
• While the watercress is simmering, you can prepare the following optional garnish if you wish: a small handful of watercress leaves boiled 30 seconds, rinsed in cold water and drained.
• Mash the vegetables in the soup with a fork, or puree in blender. Correct seasoning.
• Off heat and just before serving, stir in cream or butter by spoonfuls. Decorate with the optional watercress leaves.

WATERCRESS SOUP

Steps:

• Simmer the potatoes, leeks and herb bouquet in the chicken stock for 40 minutes. Trim the watercress stalks and discard. Add the watercress leaves to the soup reserving a few for decoration; simmer for five minutes.
• Remove the herb bouquet. Puree the mixture in a food mill and cool it overnight.
• Stir in yogurt and lemon juice to taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup, sprinkled with watercress leaves, in individual bowls.

WATERCRESS AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes. Add broth, potato, and the water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add two-thirds of the watercress and cook until bright green and tender, about 3 minutes. Working in batches, purée soup until smooth in a blender, being careful not to fill jar more than halfway each time. Return to pan and season soup with salt (reheat over medium if necessary).
• In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Add remaining watercress and toss. Serve soup topped with watercress.
• about watercress
• Watercress is a dark, leafy green with thick stems and a peppery taste that mellows once it's cooked. Look for bunches with bright, glossy green leaves that haven't begun to wilt. Wrap in paper towels and refrigerate in a plastic bag up to 3 days. Always wash watercress just before using-place in a colander, and rinse well with cold water. Dry thoroughly and trim off thick stems.
• nutrition information
• (Per Serving)
• Calories: 161
• Fat: 7.2g (1.2g Saturated Fat)
• Protein: 5.8g
• Carbohydrates: 20.5g
• Fiber: 2.2g

LEEK AND WATERCRESS SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute the leek in the butter for about 3 minutes. Add the watercress and cook for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the potatoes, chicken broth, thyme, pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, simmer covered for 30 minutes.
• With a stick blender, puree the vegetables. Stir in the heavy cream and gently heat until barely simmering.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
• Note: Do not use milk or light cream as they might curdle. Can make ahead of time and gently reheated.