Watercress has been grown and eaten all over world for centuries. But every country and region has its own ways of using it for food.

Here is a soup recipe from Market Weighton, East Yorkshire, taken from Joan Poulson’s book, Old Northern Recipes.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of watercress
• 2 oz (55 g) bacon
• 1 large potato
• ¼ pint (5 fl oz/25ml) single cream
• 1½- 2 pints (30-40 fl oz ) vegetable stock

Method

1. Peel and chop the potato.  Add the bacon & stock and bring to the boil slowly.
2. Simmer until potato tender.
3. Just before serving stir in the cream and add the watercress leaves.
4. If a thicker consistency is preferred, sieve or puree before adding the cream and watercress.

Source:  Joan Poulson (1975) Old Northern Recipes. Hendon Publishing (p.67).