Watercress Mashed Potato
As part of its dedication to seasonal eating, Wares of Knutsford is pleased to recommend watercress this month. This often overlooked member of the mustard family is full of personality. Its flavour is peppery, almost bitter and rather pungent. Furthermore, those dark green leaves and pale, crispy stems are nutrition heroes, packed with iron and calcium plus vitamins A, C and E.
The watercress season in the UK starts in April and goes on until September but supermarkets usually stock it all year round. Avoid yellowing and wilting leaves. Watercress leaves should be crisp and deep green in colour.
Watercress adds a healthy and flavoursome twist to this mashed potato recipe. Although it tastes indulgently creamy, this is a relatively easy and cheap way to get some healthy greens into your diet.
Watercress mash potato: ingredients
To serve 4:
650g potatoes, floury variety such as Desiree or King Edward
100ml milk
25g butter
170g watercress
Watercress mash potato: method
Peel the potatoes and cut into 2-3cm chunks. Boil in salted water for 15 minutes or until starting to soften. Drain the potatoes well and return to the saucepan, leaving a few minutes before mashing to steam dry a little.
Add the butter and milk to the potatoes, allowing the butter to melt a little, and mash well. You can leave it a little lumpy if you prefer your mash that way! Add the watercress and some seasoning and stir into the mash.
This mashed potato recipe is particularly delicious with pork.
As a more summery alternative, use watercress to make a peppery and vibrant mayonnaise to serve with poached salmon.
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
100ml olive oil
200ml vegetable or groundnut oil
2 egg yolks
1 large teaspoon Dijon mustard
Half a clove of garlic, crushed
75g watercress
In one container mix the lemon juice and white wine vinegar together and in another mix the two oils together.
Add the egg yolks, Dijon mustard and a good pinch of salt to a food processor and whizz together until well combined. Keep whizzing while dribbling in the oil mixture very slowly so that the mayonnaise thickens. Occasionally add the lemon and vinegar mix, one teaspoon at a time, until all the oil mix and all the lemon/vinegar mix has been incorporated.
Keep whizzing as you add the garlic, then the watercress. Once all is combined, season to taste. If the mayo is a little stiff, loosen with a more lemon juice, vinegar or warm water. Store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
