Cress Time

Watercress is an underappreciated green. With its natural peppery flavor, it needs just a little olive oil and a touch of lemon for a salad. And it doesn’t take much to make a good watercress soup. This one is perfect for lunch or a light supper.

When shopping for watercress, look for crisp, bright green bunches. You don’t want yellow, wilted or dark-spotted leaves. Pick bunches with thin stems; they’re more tender. And don’t forget to pull off a couple of leaves from a bunch and pop them in your mouth; there should be a decided peppery bite. If there isn’t, try the store down the street.

Watercress is fragile, so use it quickly or wrap it in a damp paper towel and refrigerate it a day or two.

MENU

Watercress Soup

Parmesan Toasts

Watercress Soup

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes * Easy

1 tablespoon butter

1 onion, thinly sliced

4 bunches watercress

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

3 cups water

Salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 cup yogurt or sour cream, for garnish

* Heat butter over medium-low heat in medium saucepan. Add onion, cover and cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.

* While onion is cooking, rinse watercress, and pull off and discard tough stems. Add watercress, broth and water to pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until watercress is very tender and flavors have melded, about 10 to 12 minutes.

* Puree soup at high speed in blender until smooth, about 1 minute (puree in batches, if necessary). Return soup to pot and heat through. Add salt to taste, about 1/2 teaspoon, and lemon juice. Garnish soup with yogurt or sour cream.

4 servings. Each serving: 73 calories; 539 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.03 grams fiber.

Parmesan Toasts

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 10 minutes

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

8 (1-inch thick) slices French bread

* Sprinkle cheese over bread slices and broil until cheese melts and bubbles, about 3 minutes.

4 servings. Each serving: 252 calories; 585 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 2 grams fiber.

INGREDIENTS

STAPLES

Chicken or vegetable broth

Butter

Lemon juice

Onion

Parmesan cheese

Salt

Yogurt or sour cream

SHOPPING LIST

4 bunches watercress

1 loaf French bread

GAME PLAN

25 minutes before: Preheat broiler, grate cheese, slice onion.

20 minutes before: Begin cooking onion, clean watercress.

5 minutes before: Pop bread beneath broiler; puree soup.