Despite warmer temperatures mercifully settling in on us, the beginning of spring still brings about rather erratic swings in climate – after all, April weather is not as notorious as it is for nothing. So, the other day, I returned home one afternoon, and I found myself feeling rather cold and uncomfortable, and I really longed for a soothing warm soup. By some coincidence, we had watercress in the house, and I ended up making this soup which really gave me all the comfort I needed while not being too heavy.

I believe this is really a very nice and light dish and makes for a really nice soup even outside the winter (soup) season. Watercress has a slightly spicy, mustardy taste which turns this soup really flavorful without being too strong in taste at the same time. And if you like to go low on calories, you may skip the crème fraîche and opt for low-fat milk which makes this dish even lighter.

Sanni

Ingredients (for 2 to 3 portions):

• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 to 2 medium-sized potatoes, diced
• 1 tray of watercress
• approx. 400 ml. of vegetable stock
• 400 ml of milk
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• a squeeze of lime juice
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of crème fraîche (to serve)

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium to high temperature.
2. Add the shallot and fry until soft. It should not turn brown, so reduce the heat if necessary.
3. Add the potatoes, fry over medium heat for approx. 2 to 3 minutes, then cover with a lid and sweat for approximately 5 minutes over gentle heat. Stir every now and then.
4. Strip the watercress leaves from the stems. Wash and chop roughly.
5. Add the stock and the milk to the pan. Stir in the watercress (keep a few leaves for decoration) and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper. Continue simmering at medium temperature for approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Process the soup with a hand blender. Blend well.
7. If necessary, reheat to serving temperature, and season with lime juice, and, if necessary, some more pepper and salt.
8.  Pour into pre-warmed soup bowls. Garnish with crème fraîche and some watercress leaves. Enjoy!