Introduction
Chilled Watercress-Spinach Soup offers a refreshing and nutritious experience. Its blend of vibrant watercress and tender spinach, complemented by the smoothness achieved through pureeing, makes it an ideal dish for those seeking healthy yet flavorful options during warmer months or as a light meal option.
Tips for this recipe
To ensure optimal results with Chilled Watercress-Spinach Soup: utilize fresh, high-quality ingredients and blend them at the appropriate consistency to maintain both texture and flavor integrity. Adjusting the lemon juice can also enhance taste balance between greens and other components.
Why you will love this recipe
This Chilled Watercress-Spinach Soup stands out due to its unique combination of hearty vegetables in a chilled state, offering an unexpectedly comforting experience while still being light and refreshing. Its elegant presentation with garnished eggs adds visual appeal without overpowering the natural flavors of the greens.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 3 medium)
1 7- to 8-ounce white-skinned potato, peeled, diced
3 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
2 cups (packed) coarsely chopped watercress with some of stems plus small sprigs (for garnish)
1 cup (packed) baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped (for garnish)
Advised equipment
– Blender: Essential for pureeing vegetables to create smooth soups like watercress and spinach.
– Cutting Board: Needed for preparing ingredients such as washing, chopping, and dicing watercress and spinach.
– Knife Set (Chef’s knife, paring knife, vegetable peeler): Useful for various prep work including vegetables.
– Large Pot with Lid: For cooking the soup base on stovetop before blending into a smooth consistency.
– Immersion Blender (Mandoline Slicer & Chopper): Offers an alternative to traditional blenders, allowing direct pureeing in the pot for certain types of soups.
– Silicone Spatula: Useful for stirring and scraping soup ingredients without scratching surfaces.
– Measuring Cups & Spoons: Important for accurately measuring ingredient amounts, especially if precise flavor balancing is desired.
– Colander or Sieve: Used for straining vegetables after they’ve been cooked and blended to remove solids from the broth.
– Ice Tray: Useful for making ice cubes that can chill the soup quickly if needed.
– Food Processor (Optional): For more versatile chopping or processing vegetables, though not as efficient as a dedicated blender for smooth soups.
History of the recipe
The Chilled Watercress-Spinach Soup traces its roots to traditional soup culture that emphasizes utilizing seasonal and available produce. Incorinas, such as watercress, were often used for their health benefits and peaks in freshness during spring and early summer. This recipe is a modern adaptation of these age-old principles, combining the old with new culinary techniques to create a dish that’s both nutritious and delightful.
Fun facts about this recipe
Beyond its delicious taste profile, Chilled Watercress-Spinach Soup boasts health benefits associated with watercress and spinach, such as high levels of vitamins A, C, K, iron, and antioxidants. Its popularity has grown in the wellness community for incorporating greens into a cooling summer soup that still delivers nutritional value without sacrificing taste or tradition.
