Watercress soup

Ingredients

• 40g butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• Pinch of salt
• 1tbsp flour
• 400ml whole milk
• 3½ bunches (about 420g) watercress, washed and roughly chopped
• 75ml double cream

Procedure

1. Heat the butter in a large pan over a medium-low heat and add the onion. Season and cook gently until soft, but not coloured. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute.
2. Gradually stir in the milk and 250ml water. Bring to just below the boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl of iced water. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and plunge in the watercress to wilt, reserving a few leaves to garnish. Tip out into a colander, and then into the iced water.
4. Squeeze the cooled watercress out and add to the pan. Puree the whole lot thoroughly, add the cream and season to taste. Reheat if necessary: delicious hot or chilled.