Watercress Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 leek, roughly chopped
• 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 cups homemade vegetable broth
• 1 pound new potatoes, peeled if desired and roughly chopped
• About 7 cups fresh watercress leaves, washed and trimmed
• 1 lemon or lime, quartered, optional
• 3 to 4 tablespoons crème fraîche or plain Greek yogurt, for serving

Directions

1. Warm the oil in a sturdy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the leek and celery, then cook until they begin to relax and soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Bundle the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf with kitchen twine to form a bouquet garni, or tuck the herbs into a tea infuser. Drop it into the saucepan with the garlic, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the butter, then keep cooking and stirring until the vegetables are fully soft but have not taken on color, 6 to 10 minutes.
4. Pour in the broth or stock and add the potatoes. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat, put on the lid, and simmer for 15 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through and tender.
5. Stir in the watercress. Cover the saucepan, take it off the heat, and let the heat already in the soup soften the greens, about 5 minutes.
6. Lift out the herb bundle and throw it away. Blend the soup with an immersion blender, or let it cool slightly and puree it in a blender in batches if needed.
7. Taste the soup and adjust with salt and pepper, adding a squeeze of lemon or lime juice if you like. Spoon it into bowls and swirl in a dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt. Serve it hot, warm, at room temperature, or chilled.