Toni's Watercress Soup
This is a recipe from a very creative cook and beloved 10 year member of our CSA. The soup is wonderfully delicious -either hot or cold!
In a soup pot, saute for a couple of minutes, until soft and aromatic:
2 T. olive oil
1 leek, rough chopped (can substitute with 1/4 c. other mild onion)
3 stalks celery, rough chopped
Add, and continue to saute for a couple of minutes more:
3 T. butter
1 bay leaf, 1 sprig rosemary and 3 sprigs thyme tied together
5 cloves garlic, chopped (substitute in spring with wild garlic ramps)
Season with a few shakes of salt and pepper
Add:
5 c. vegetable broth
1 lb cubed potatoes
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 15-25 minutes (depending on your potato cube size), or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in:
7 c. watercress (can use up to 1/2 spinach)
Cover pan, remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes. Remove herb bundle.
Puree soup in batches in a blender until smooth.
Taste and season with salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.
Optional: garnish with a dollop of crème fraiche
