Watercress

Watercress has such a lovely and distinctive flavor that it’s best used by itself with a few mildly flavored vegetables (onions, leeks, or potatoes) in the background. It makes wonderful pureed soups that can be served either hot or cold.

To eliminate bitterness, cook watercress in rapidly boiling water for 2 minutes and then rinse it in cold water before using it to make soup. If you’re using watercress in a puree, you don’t have to bother removing the little stems that hold together the clusters of leaves; the preliminary cooking will eliminate their bitterness and they’ll be strained out.