Name: Watercress and spinach soup
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: Croutons; Salt and freshly ground pepper; 2 generous handfuls of watercress or any of the wild cresses; 2 generous handfuls of young spinach; 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock, or 50:50 mixture of milk and water; Large nugget of butter; 1 thick slice of potato, diced small; 1 egg yolk; Soured cream; 2 tbsp single cream; Finely chopped chervil

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

A Cook’s Year in a Welsh Farmhouse

By Elisabeth Luard

Published 2011

About

This refreshing soup can be made with any spring leaves, including thinnings from the salad patch. Depending on your choice of leaves, sharpen the flavour with a little lemon juice.

Ingredients

2 generous handfuls of watercress or any of the wild cresses
2 generous handfuls of young spinach

Method

Pick over the watercress and spinach and remove any tough stalks. Shred roughly.

Melt the butter in a heavy pan, but don’t let it brown. Add the leaves and stir them over the heat for a few minutes till they wilt. Add the potato and stock and bring to the boil. Season, lid loosely and simmer for 20–30 minutes.

Push the mixture through a vegetable mill or give it a quick whizz in