Watercress & Lemon Soup

We’re lucky enough to get really good watercress from Hampshire. Luckily the boy likes it. It has loads of Vitamin A & C, Iron, Folic Acid, Calcium and Iodine.

40g butter

1 medium onion, chopped roughly

2 cloves garlic, quartered

35g plain flour

2l chicken stock

400g Watercress leaves (from about 850g bunches)

60ml lemon juice

60ml sour cream

The boy and I both like a certain sharpness, so this suits us down to the ground. Melt the butter. I usually add a very small splash of olive oil to stop it burning. Gently fry the onion until soft but not brown. When it’s getting there add the garlic. The boy’s family own a garlic farm so we have no shortage of that. We’re using a variety called Solent Wight.

The boy is watching TV. Pop a tray on his lap and get him to pull the leaves of the watercress from the stalks.

Add the flour to the oily onions until it cooks and thickens. It will start to bubble. If you value your pans, keep the heat low. Stir the stock in slowly. Ours is actually ready-made from the supermarket but we’ve chosen the best quality we could find. It comes in plastic pouches. Keep stirring so it all mixes nicely.

Add the lemon juice, and the watercress leaves (the stalks are just going in the compost bin). Bring it to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. I’m serving this with plain chicken and mayo sandwiches on brown bread, so I’m making these while it comes to the boil. I’m seasoning them and quartering them into triangles.

Once simmered, blend well in batches, so your blender doesn’t spit or leak. It should be smooth but still look quite grainy. Wipe out the pan and pour the soup back in, and stir in the sour cream. Crème Fraiche would also be very good.

I’m ladling it into bowls and floating a paper thin slice of lemon on top as a garnish, though the boy will discard this within seconds.

He’ll be delighted with the tiny chicken sandwiches though, which is why I have a second round waiting for him in the kitchen.