Maidstone Watercress Soup


2 bunches watercress                                                         1 small Spanish onion
1 large potato                                                                        2 oz butter             
2 pints chicken or turkey stock                                             ¼ pint cream
1 tablespoon plain flour                                                         

Freshly ground sea salt and pepper corns to taste

Clean and peel the potato and cut into pieces. Chop the onion and stalks of watercress, keeping some of the leaves on one side, then cook all of the vegetables in the butter.
Add the flour, then the 2 pints of stock stirring all the time.  Then simmer for ¾ hour.
Liquidise or put through a sieve. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Next add the cream and watercress leaves and serve hot.


Many old recipes include rather vague instructions, e.g. what does 2 bunches of watercress weigh? I used approx 150 grams, ¼ pint cream - single or double to your taste.