Chilled Watercress Soup with Crème Fraîche and Za’atar
Chef Jenn Louis gives this creamy and refreshing chilled watercress soup a modern spin by topping it with za’atar, the fragrant Middle Eastern spice blend.
- Active:
- Total Time:
- Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large garlic clove, halved
- 1/2 pound watercress with stems
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- 1 cup cold whole milk
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche
- 8 teaspoons za’atar (see Note)
How to make this recipe
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In a medium saucepan, combine the potatoes and garlic with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the watercress and cook until the greens are just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until cold.
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Transfer the cold potato-watercress mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. With the machine on, drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated. Pour the soup into a large bowl and stir in the buttermilk, whole milk and 1/2 cup of cold water; stir in more water if the soup is too thick. Cover and refrigerate, about 1 hour. Season with salt.
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Pour the chilled soup into 8 bowls. Top each with a tablespoon of crème fraîche and 1 teaspoon of za’atar and serve.
Make Ahead
The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Notes
Za’atar is a Middle Eastern blend of sesame seeds, herbs and sumac. It’s available at Middle Eastern markets and penzeys.com.
