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

#soup