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Chilled wild watercress soup with fresh goat’s curd
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 50g butter
- 1 potato, peeled, halved and finely sliced
- 1tsp freshly milled black pepper
- 1tsp table salt
- ½ leek, white and pale green part only, finely sliced
- 2 bunches (around 50g each) wild watercress, leaves picked and stalks very finely chopped
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 200g young spinach leaves
For the curd
- 200g fresh goat’s curd – usually a French cheese found in a plastic pyramid container at the supermarket
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
Get all your equipment for the soup ready first, as if left too long the soup will turn an unpleasant brown colour. Ensure you have a large bowl of iced water with a large heavy bowl sitting on top (this is for you to pass the soup through the sieve into, once it has been blended).
Place the butter in a large frying pan and when melted add the potato, and season. Cover and cook over a low heat until potatoes are almost done, then add the leeks and cook until it begins to soften. Next, add the finely chopped watercress stalks and cook for 2 minutes.
Then, add half of the stock and bring to the boil. When boiling, add the watercress and spinach leaves and cook for 1 minute, stirring well. Spoon directly into the blender and whizz until very smooth. Pass through a fine sieve into the large, chilled bowl and add the remaining stock, whisk over the ice until chilled. Adjust the seasoning and keep chilled until ready to serve. For the goat’s curd, mix the lemon zest and a little salt into the cheese and whisk in the olive oil a little at a time until smooth. Using a teaspoon, scoop three quenelle shapes into each bowl of soup.
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