I love watercress

I love watercress but it is quite expensive’; I like the peppery bite and the strong flavour, I like it in salads, in sandwiches, just on its own… but it is quite expensive. I know it needs careful cultivation and wild cress is no longer gathered and sold as it used to be, but it has now for me become a bit of a luxury.

I once went on one of those faddy diets where all I could eat was watercress soup… I know such diets are ridiculous but I thought that as I liked watercress, I’d like watercress soup. Unfortunately the recipe I was given with the diet sheet made something approximating bland dishwater…. unsurprisingly, the diet was not a success, even though I stuck to it rigidly!

I’ve been looking at recipes for watercress and came across one for a pesto using it instead of basil… now that does sound nice, especially if it’s eaten freshly-made. I’m not sure I’d be so keen on a watercress smoothie, even though I’m sure it would be tremendously good for me…. watercress, melon and pear? Or maybe watercress, pineapple and blueberry? Or even watercress, apple and kiwi? I’m not convinced, but watercress salsa sounds interesting; blend the following to a smooth paste and season to taste:

• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 1 tbsp capers, drained
• 2 spring onions, trimmed
• 1 x 85g bag watercress
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• juice of half a lemon
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

I’m not surprised that watercress is full, burstingly full of vitamins, with more vitamin C than a similar weight of oranges, ditto more calcium than milk, and more iron than spinach and whoohoo! more folate than bananas! It also has vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin E, vitamin K, iodine,  manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, magnesium, beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin,  quercetinand glucosinolate. I’m also not surprised that it has been used by herbalists and doctors going back to Greek times and no doubt beyond.

Watercress has gone out of fashion; you see it as a garnish, you find it in bags of mixed salad, but it is not often served for its own delicious sake. Whereas there used to be over 1,000 acres of watercress beds sixty years ago, now there is a mere 150 acres in Britain. Maybe it will become a new super-food trend and return to the countryside of southern England and the shelves of the greengrocer’s of Britain! I think I shall buy some tomorrow!

To find out more:

http://watercress.co.uk/