In season in the UK from April to November, this pungent superfood will give a vibrant peppery burst of flavour, with very little effort, to good staple foods. Eggs, cheeses, steaks, fish, chicken, pork and bacon are just some examples where the addition of watercress will turn simple foods into something special to savour. It can be used as a salad green with a dressing, or for pesto or sandwiches. Pretty much anything where some mustardy leafiness is needed. A lovely easy to use green plant – an alternative would be rocket leaves.
Look for lively green (not yellowing) leaves and use them as soon as possible. You can store them for one day if you have to, with the stems uppermost in water in a cool place, but the fridge is not ideal. However, wild watercress is a great option: it has an outstanding flavour and will keep in the fridge, wrapped, for at least four or five days. Wild watercress is available from www.forager.org.uk
To prepare watercress and wild watercress:
Wash and drain it. Keep the leaves whole but chop the stalks, which are full of flavour, into small pieces.
Suggested uses for watercress and wild watercress:
Use as a green to go with Chicken with Mustard, Orange, Thyme and Fennel Seeds or in the chicken sandwich found at A Simple Picnic to Ease You Out of Lockdown in place of the courgettes salad.
Stir through some buttery boiled or pot roasted new potatoes see Local and Seasonal in May – New Potatoes – Especially Jersey Royals – Simply Boiled, Pot Roasted or as a Salad with Early Summer Herbs
Substitute watercress for ransoms in a pesto see Ramsons or Rocket Pesto
