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Cream of Watercress Soup
from the kitchen of Sharmagne Leland-St. John

4 tablespoons sweet butter
2 cups finely chopped Spanish onions
½ cup minced shallots
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 medium-size Yukon Gold potato, scrubbed and diced
4 bunches of watercress
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Freshly ground nutmeg, to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste.

In a heavy soup kettle, melt the butter.
Add the onions and shallots. Cover and
cook over low heat for approximately 25
minutes, or until tender and lightly coloured.
Add the stock and potato and bring to a boil.
Partially cover, reduce the heat to a slow
simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until
the potato is very tender.

While the stock is cooking, remove the leaves
and some of the tender stems from the water-
cress, Thoroughly rinse. When the potato is
tender, remove from heat source, add the
cress and cover the kettle. Let stand for 5
minutes.

At this point you may either use a mouli
or a food processor. Pour the soup through
a strainer reserving the broth. Using 1 cup of
broth as necessary, process until smooth.

Return the purée to kettle, stir in the cream,
add additional stock up to  ½ to 1 cup until 
soup had reached desired consistency.
Place over medium heat. Season to taste
with the salt pepper and other spices and
simmer until the soup is just heated through.
Serve immediately.
 

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