Potato & Watercress Soup

This is another very simple recipe that I have been making for years, in fact, the making of this soup some 20 years ago when I was at University resulted in an almost horrific accident which I will save for the end of the post because I don't want to put you off trying this fantastic soup!

The watercress came in my Able & Cole veg box.

Potato & Watercress Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 x large knob of butter

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 x onions, finely chopped (I used 2 small onions)

1 x clove of garlic, minced

3 x potatoes, peeled and cubed

100g of watercress, roughly chopped (including stalks)

1 Lt stock (I used 1/2/ chicken & 1/2 vegetable)

50ml double or single cream

Salt & freshly ground pepper

Method:

Heat the butter and oil together in a large pan.

Gently fry the onion until soft.

Add the garlic and potatoes. Put a lid on the pan and sweat for 5 minutes.

Pour in the stock.

Add the potatoes and cook for approx ten minutes until the potatoes are soft.

Mix in the watercress (saving a couple of leaves for garnish) and cook for a couple of minutes until wilted.

Allow to cool down and then either puree with a handheld liquidizer or  for processor.

When you are ready to serve, return to the pan, pour in the cream, stir and warm through.

Season and serve.

So here's the story:

I had made the soup for my house mates and was at the final stage. I poured the hot mixture in the liquidizer, put the lid on, and switched on the machine...almost instantly the lid blew off from the built up pressure of the steam, spraying boiling hot soup and stalks and leaves of scorching hot watercress which covered every inch of the kitchen, including me. Stupidly, I was only wearing a short sleeved vest top and I was plastered with scolding hot liquid on my face, arms and chest. The worst burns were caused by the sections of watercress which stuck to my skin, burning all the while.

I was covered in blisters which eventually burst and scabbed leaving me looking like I had a chronic skin disease for several weeks. Fortunately, the burns did not scar but it was certainly one way to learn an important lesson  : allow liquids to cool before liquidizing or putting them in the food processor!