Potato Cress Soup

from Sarah Henkin

Serves 4

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INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into a large dice
2½ teaspoons salt
3 cups water, or enough to cover the potatoes by ½ inch
3 cups cress, roughly chopped, reserving a couple sprigs for garnish
½ cup cream, more or less depending on your preference
salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice to taste (I use 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice)

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PREPARATION:

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, cook onion in butter until it starts to turn soft.
2. Add potato and salt and cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Add water, bring to a simmer until potato is just soft.
4. Add chopped cress and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Puree in a blender and put back in pot, stir in cream and add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
6. Garnish with reserved cress sprigs.

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Variations:

1. Use vegetable or chicken stock instead of water to add another layer of flavor.
2. Make a sunchoke and potato soup by simmering sunchokes with potatoes and pureeing together. Remember that sunchokes take less time to cook, so add them 5-10 minutes after you add the water to your soup.
3. Use any seasonal green instead of the cress.
4. Use leftover roasted vegetables (or even chicken). Add vegetables when potatoes are almost done, so you are just reheating them; puree as directed above.