Considered by some to be old fashioned, watercress soup has become fashionable (again), because of the health benefits associated with watercress. Watercress has high levels of Vitamin A, C & K and is a good source of phosphorus, potassium, folate and magnesium.
This peppery soup is an adaption of the one my mother-in-law was taught to make when they lived in England. Our version is slightly less creamy than the traditional recipe, as we’ve found that dairy substitutes are a little too sweet and ruin the pepper taste that you aim for with this soup. On that note, I add incredible amounts of cracked pepper to the soup before serving, the theory being that the watercress grown in Australia is not as strong as its British counterpart.
This a fantastic soup to whip up on the weekend and store for an easy weeknight dinner. Serve with garlic bread or as a first course.
Watercress Soup
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon of rice bran oil (or other oil that has a high smoke point)
- 1 leek, roughly chopped
- 3 bunches watercress, roots removed, roughly chopped
- 3 cups water
- 3 teaspoons of vegan chicken stock
- 1 ½ tablespoons nuttelex (or butter/alternative)
- 1 ½ tablespoons GF flour
- ½ cup rice milk
- ¼ cup oat milk
Implements
- Stock pot
- Small saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Handheld mixer
- Heat stock pot on a medium stove.
Instructions
Wash leek by removing base and upper foliage, slice lengthways and wash, ensuring that you remove all dirt within the layers of the plant. Add ½ tablespoon of oil to stockpot and add chopped leek. One at a time, remove roots of water cress and wash thoroughly, leaving to drain in a colander. Once most of the water has drained from the watercress, roughly chop and add to the stock pot. Cover with three cups of water and add stock powder.
Place nuttelex/butter to a small saucepan and low to medium heat. When the butter has melted, add flour to form a smooth paste. Slowly add oat milk, stirring to ensure it maintains a paste-like consistency. Slowly add rice milk. Add white sauce to the stock pot and reduce heat to low-medium and cook for 10 minutes with the lid off.
Allow the soup to cool for five to ten minutes. Mix very well with a hand-held mixer. Grind ½ tablespoon pepper into the soup. Add salt to taste.
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