Puree of Watercress, Mushroom, Leek and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

      1 tb Butter or margarine; or oil

      1 md (1" diam) leek; cleaned and chopped

    1/2 lb Mushrooms; coarsely chopped

  1 1/2 ts Salt; or to taste

      3    Potatoes; cut in small chunks (fist-sized

           -potatoes), peeling optional

      4 c  Water

      2 lg Garlic cloves

      2 bn Fresh watercress; large,chopped

(approx 2 cups loosely packed)

     OPTIONAL ADDITIONS

           1% low-fat milk; (1 cup)

           OR soy milk; at room temperature

           Freshly ground black pepper; to taste

    OPTIONAL GARNISH

           Sour cream; and/or

           Red bell pepper; thin strips

Methods:

1) Melt the butter or heat the oil in a soup pot or a Dutch oven.Add the leek, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Saute for about 10 minutes over medium heat.

2) Add the potatoes and garlic cloves, and pour in the water.Sprinkle in another 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and lower heat to a simmer until the potatoes are very tender. Remove from heat.

3) Puree the soup in a blender or a food processer (or directly in the pot with a hand blender). Add the watercress, bit-by-bit, as you pur?e, until it is all incorporated and the soup is smooth. Taste to correct salt.

4) You can serve this hot, at room temperature, or cold. If you're serving it hot, reheat the soup gently just before serving. stirring in the optional milk at the end. If you are serving this room temperature or chilled, add the milk at any time.

5) Top the soup with a grind or two of fresh black pepper, a little sour cream and thin strips of red bell pepper, if desired, for a nicely finished look.

 

TIPS: * This soup is lowfat and possibly vegan (if you use oil and soymilk). * The vegetable quantities are somewhat flexible, so don't worry if you don't have exact amounts. Mollie uses 'handfuls."