Watercress Soup

Just imagine a table set outside in the early afternoon in the spring. Serving a lovely lunch with all sorts of tasty goodies like old fashioned lemonade, a lovely roast chicken, served with home cooked vegetables. To start this wonderful spring afternoon it will be a good choice to make a watercress soup for a starter.

One thing nice about this soup it can be made a day in advance, just keep it in the fridge until ready to indulge. This soup can even be frozen - just defrost overnight. Don't be alarmed if the colour doesn't look 100% right as freezing this soup it may loose its colour but it will not loose its flavour.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

50ml Olive Oil
10 leeks sliced
8 spring onions - nipped
2 potatoes - peeled and cubed
400g fresh watercress
15ml fresh lemon juice
5ml salt
1 litre vegetable stock (10ml stock powder dissoved in 1 litre boiling water)
freshly ground pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large and heavy saucepan - saute the leeks, spring onions, and potatoes until nice and golden. Add the watercress, lemon juice, salt and stock. Bring down the heat, cover and let it simmer for 25min or until tender. Remove from heat and puree the soup in a food processor (fitted with a metal blade). Season to toaste with black pepper.

Serve into bowls and serve it either hot or cold.