The French have been using watercress to make a vibrantly colored soup called potage au cresson for hundreds of years. My version is a simple and flavorful take on the classic. The soup has a velvety texture from puréed potato and a bit of cream and egg yolk. The bold peppery watercress makes this soup not only flavorful but beautiful as well. Creamy Watercress Soup.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 leeks, halved lengthwise, cleaned, white and light greeen parts roughly chopped
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
- 2 bunch watercress (about 1 pound), leaves only, plus more for garnish (optional)
- 6 leaves of fresh sage, rinsed and chopped
- 1 clove garlic, peeled & minced
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 cup chicken stock (or vegtable stock)
- 1 pinch each, salt and white pepper, to taste
- 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
Directions
Melt the butter in a large sauce pan set over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery and garlic, stirring to coat. Lower the heat and cover the pan, cooking the leeks until softened somewhat, but not yet colored, about 4 minutes. Add the potato and chicken stock. Simmer, uncovered until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Remove the pot from the pan and stir in the watercress and sage. Set the pan aside to cool somewhat.
Meanwhile mix the cream and egg yolks together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until very smooth. Then strain the soup with a fine meshed sieve discarding any solids. Return the soup to the pan, setting it over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the cream and egg yolk mixture. Season with salt and white pepper. Garnish with watercress (optional). Serve warm.
If you overcook your fish, make FISHCAKES!Some folks are afraid to “stink up thier house” cooking fish at home..
I have been on a serious cod kick recently, so I was thrilled to find your recipe! I’m looking forward to following many more of your culinary adventures!
to lightly coat my cod with a flour crust, it sounds lovely. Enjoy Alaska!
I too find it odd that people are scared to cook fish. Maybe because it can be expensive? And there’s a fine line between perfect and ruined? I dunno, I think it’s fun to cook, and hopefully this post will inspire people to give it a whirl.
I say yes to cooking fish at home! I also know a lot of people who are intimidated by cooking fish–but why? A simple sear like this produces one of the tastiest and easiest of meals.
I love cod fish…It is very popular in Colombia and yours looks simple, tasty and perfectly cooked,Greg!
Must admit I never heard of brining fish so I’ll look forward to more posts on the subject.
A cod leaves Chicago on an East bound train travelling at 45 mph.….…
If fish has lived in salt water its whole life, isn’t brining redundant? (ha ha)
Can’t believe you are lucky enough to be up in Alaska, can’t wait to see those pictures. I’ll have to watch my temps on fish. I was taught finish 135f for most fish but that fish with a lot of Omega 3 can go as low as 120f, wichi is my usual target for salmon.
Fish is simple to cook but quite disappointing when overcooked.
That looks like THE most perfectly cooked piece of fish… I’m a sucker for well prepared fish. I always grill it, but next time I’m pan frying that bad boy!