Watercress soup with bacon dumplings
Take this simple green soup from light lunch to dinner party starter with a mouth-watering, meaty garnish of streaky bacon dumplings
Ingredients
- 25g butter
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 4 large floury potatoes (about 800g/ 1lb 12oz), chopped into small cubes
- 200g watercress, leaves picked and stalks chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh horseradish, grated (about 25g/1oz unpeeled weight)
- 1 ½l vegetable stock
- olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
For the dumplings
- 8 streaky bacon rashers, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
- small pack flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Method
- To make the dumplings, mix the bacon with the breadcrumbs and parsley. Shape into 18 balls – the bacon fat will hold the dumplings together. Cover and put in the fridge.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, and cook for 10 mins until soft.
- Add the potatoes, watercress stalks and horseradish, and cook for a few mins more, then add the stock and bring everything to a simmer.
- When the potatoes are tender (this should take 8-10 mins), stir in most of the watercress leaves, put the dumplings into the soup and let them poach for 3-4 mins or until cooked through.
- Gently lift out the dumplings with a slotted spoon and put to one side. Whizz the soup in a blender and season. Divide between 6 bowls and top each with 3 dumplings.
- Drizzle with olive oil, if you like, and serve with the reserved watercress leaves on top and plenty of black pepper.
