Knob’s Watercress Soup

I made this last week due to a supermarket delivering four packs of watercress in error with our fortnightly grocery delivery. As much as I like egg and watercress sandwiches, there is a limited amount you can stuff between two bits of bread.

So, what to do with it?
Soup with some decent bread for dinner and as Mrs K. is a confirmed carnivore, I added some crispy pancetta pieces fried until golden brown before making the soup to give it an extra bit of flavour and texture.

Ingredients

  • 1 Pint of chicken stock
  • 1 Shallot thinly sliced
  • 2 Garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 Leek thinly sliced
  • 220 grams Stilton
  • 300 mil Double cream
  • Potato approximately 350 grams peeled and chopped into 10mm – 20mm cubes
  • 2 Bags Watercress approximately 170 grams total roughly chopped including stalks
  • Seasoning salt and black pepper

My cheat using items from the freezer and store cupboard

  • A Knorr chicken stock pot added to a pint of boiling water
  • A couple heaped teaspoons of Lazy Garlic.
  • Approximately 50 grams frozen onion slices
Ingredients

Preparation & Cooking Time Approximately 15 minutes

Using a large pan pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil.
Add the sliced onion, leek, garlic, diced potato.
Crumble in the Stilton including the rind and add the double cream.

Note. Do not use single cream as it separates when boiling
Boil for approximately 10 minutes (check the cubed potato is cooked through) then turn the heat down to simmer add seasoning to taste and then immediately add the watercress and let it wilt approximately 30 seconds.
Remove from the stove and use a hand blender until you have a smooth consistency.

Note. I prefer a hand blender as using a countertop blender with hot liquid, it can cause a vacuum. So be careful using one as the hot liquid can blow back when you remove the lid.

Tools

Pour soup into a couple of bowls and serve with good quality bread.

You can add a dollop of crème fraîche or like I did, crispy pancetta pieces.

Ready to eat

Enjoy…
 

© Text and images Dorset Knob 2020
 

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