Watercress Soup With Blue Cheese Cashew Pastries Recipes

WATERCRESS SOUP WITH BLUE CHEESE & CASHEW PASTRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and grease 2 large baking sheets. Unravel the pastry, brush with milk and scatter half of it with the cheese and cashews. Fold the pastry over to sandwich the nut mixture and press down firmly. Cut into 16-18 thin strips along the longest length. Pick up each strip, twist a little, then lay slightly apart on baking sheets. Bake for 10 mins until golden. Lift onto a cooling rack as soon as they come out of the oven to stop them from sticking to the trays. They'll last for a week in a tin. Return them the oven for a couple of mins to heat through.
• To make the soup, fry the onion in the butter in a large pan for 5 mins until starting to soften. Add the potato, then pour in the milk and stock. Bring to the boil then cover and lower the heat. Season and leave to simmer for 10 mins or until the potatoes are cooked.
• Pack the watercress into a blender or large food processor and pour over the hot potato mixture. Blend until smooth then return to the pan to reheat. Serve each portion in small bowls or cups with 2 of the pastries. The remainder can be eaten with drinks on another occasion.

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 SOUP

Steps:

• Remove the leaves from one bunch of watercress and set them aside. Discard the watercress stems.
• Make sure the leeks are in small dice that will cook up quickly.
• Place butter, leeks and chicken broth in a saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 4-5 minutes.
• Add zucchini, cook several minutes more, until zucchini is just tender.
• Add salt and pepper, stir.
• Add watercress and reduce heat. Simmer 1 minute until watercress wilts.
• Remove from heat and purée in a blender.
• Correct seasoning.
• Just before serving, stir in optional cream OR optional virgin coconut oil.
• Serve hot, warm or cold.
• NOTE 1: Because the traditional French soup is pale green, Richard Grausman used peeled zucchini to create a paler shade of green. You could leave the zucchini unpeeled, thereby giving the soup a darker green color.
• NOTE 2: I am now using almond milk successfully instead of cream. Try Almond Breeze original unsweetened.
• NOTE 3: See my description for making this soup Weight Watcher friendly.

WATERCRESS SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and garlic, cook until sizzling and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in potato and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook 1 minute.
• Add stock and 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in watercress. Return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among soup bowls and squeeze a lemon wedge into each bowl. Serve immediately.