Summer soup

Sometimes I feel like I’m cheating on this blog and on my readers with instagram. It’s like I’m leading a double life. The ease with which I share my everyday kitchen adventures there, is making it difficult to come here and write lengthy stories and detailed recipes.

I don’t like this to be honest. I want to share more here but then again the effortlessness of posting a single photograph on instagram, one that tells a story by itself, with just a caption below it or even without one, is particularly appealing to me.

Perhaps I need to change my perception of what my blog is or what I want it to be, the idea I have of it and the purpose it has for me. I want to be flexible and more spontaneous yet the fact that I write this blog in two languages makes it difficult to post as quickly as I’d want to. Perhaps I should also stop being such a perfectionist and not need to have all the photos of the process and the recipe written just so. I guess I need to work on these things in order to post more regularly here and share with you all the goodies I make. I want that so much! And believe me I have lots to share.

So in an effort to do that, I’m sharing with you a soup I made the other day. A watercress soup with green apple and super-quick pickled radishes. It is delicious, healthy and light, the best type of soup to enjoy during these first days of summer.

It can be eaten either warm or chilled and it is perfect either way. It’s not a thick soup but on the thinner side and scrumptiously light, with crunch and pungency coming from the pickled radishes. It’s a fresh, herby and vibrant soup with sweetness from the apple, potatoes and onions that tames the strong pepperiness of the watercress while the acidity and sourness of the yoghurt complements it.

Watercress soup

Use the freshest and best quality watercress as it will make all the difference. Don’t go for the packaged leaves but buy whole bunches of watercress with their stems. For those of you who haven't tasted watercress before, it is peppery and slightly bitter, reminiscent of rocket, and has the freshness of purslane.

I used my trusted mandoline to julienne the radishes, but a good sharp knife will do the trick as well.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely sliced
200 g potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Golden Delicious (green) apples, peeled and chopped
2 large bunches (about 400 g) fresh watercress with stems (tough stalks removed), chopped
1 liter chicken (or vegetable) stock
1 small bunch (about 20 g) fresh parsley, chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

for the super-quick pickled radishes
6 radishes, cut julienne (matchsticks)
½ tsp white balsamic (or white wine) vinegar
½ Tbsp water

120 g Greek strained yoghurt, full-fat, for serving

Special equipment: mandoline (optional), small sieve, immersion or regular blender


Preparation
Add olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes stirring constantly until translucent and then add the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring continuously and then add the potatoes and apples. Stir, cover the pot with the lid and cook over low heat for 8 minutes.

Add the stock and bring to the boil over high heat. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes and apples are very soft. Add the watercress and parsley and cook for 4-5 minutes with the lid open. Give the soup a taste and add salt and pepper.
Turn heat off and leave to cool for 5 minutes before liquidizing the soup.

In the meantime, in a small bowl, add the radish and the vinegar and mix with a spoon. Then add the water and mix again. Put aside for 5-6 minutes, then drain well using a small sieve.

Ιf you’re using an immersion blender, liquidize the soup directly in the pan until smooth. If you have a regular blender, transfer the soup little by little to it and liquidize until you have a smooth soup. Return soup to the pan.

Serve the warm soup into bowls, add a dollop of yoghurt and top with a few pickled radishes.

You can also serve it chilled.
Enjoy!