Broccoli - Watercress Soup
A bright green soup with a smooth texture that nicely combines the flavors of broccoli, leeks, and peppery watercress.Based on a recipe from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook, Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins, 1985, Workman Publishing, NY.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3 medium leeks
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 quarts low sodium chicken broth preheated to speed cooking time. Substitute vegetable stock for vegetarian version.
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose potatoes peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
- 7 cups broccoli ends trimmed, stalks sliced 1/4" thick, florets cut to approximately 2 inch pieces
- 4 cups watercress packed (two 4 ounce packages) large stems removed, rinsed and dried
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Trim the leeks to use the white and tender green portion. Slice each one lengthwise in half. Rinse well. Place in a shallow container and add cold water to cover and add the cider vinegar. Soak for 15 minutes. Rinse and coarsely chop.
- Using an 6 quart stock pot, melt the butter in a stock pot over low heat. Add the leeks, onion, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is transparent, approximately 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Add the broccoli. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the stems of the broccoli are tender. Remove from the heat and, while still hot, stir in the watercress.
- Allow to cool slightly until safe to process, either using an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender, until very smooth. Whisk in the milk. Add salt to taste.
- Just before serving, warm the soup over low heat.
Notes
The broccoli must be tender to achieve a very smooth texture when processing at the end. For vegetarian version substitute vegetable stock for the broth.