French cuisine · Soups & Stews

Watercress Soup

Bright green watercress soup with potatoes and cream, whose subtle peppery note is added only at the end.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 200 g watercress
• 400 g potatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 l vegetable broth
• 30 g butter
• 150 ml cream
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Wash the watercress, cut off the coarse stems and set them aside, roughly chop the tender leaves; peel and dice the potatoes and onion.
2. Melt the butter in a pot and sweat the onion in it for 4 min until translucent, then add the potato cubes and the coarse watercress stems.
3. Pour in the vegetable broth and simmer covered for 18–20 min, until the potatoes fall apart.
4. Stir in the chopped watercress leaves and let steep only 1 min — any longer and the soup loses its fresh green color.
5. Purée immediately until very smooth, stir in the cream and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, without letting it boil again.
6. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, top with a few whole watercress leaves and serve hot.