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Watercress soup with potato rösti, poached egg and black pudding

by GBC Kitchen
  1. Watercress soup, potato rosti, poached egg and black pudding
Item 1 of 1
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
5.00

This verdant watercress soup recipe is bursting with fresh, peppery flavour. Topped with a plump potato rösti, a perfectly poached egg and a crisp black pudding crumb, it's a wonderful dish that's bold enough to serve as either a main or an indulgent brunch.

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Watercress is an incredible ingredient that is all too often relegated to garnish status – but this soup recipe proves it can take centre stage. The pepperiness of the watercress is tempered by the rich poached egg and black pudding, whilst the rösti adds a contrast in texture. It's the perfect summer dish, and looks seriously impressive at the table despite taking less than an hour to prepare.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Watercress soup

Potato rösti

Garnish

SAVE RECIPE

Equipment

  • Blender

Method

1
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and celery with a good pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent
2
Add the diced potato and vegetable stock, bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender
3
Add the watercress and lemon juice and cook for another minute or two, then pour the soup into a blender and blitz until smooth. Pass the soup through a sieve and set aside to reheat later. Let down with a bit of extra water if the soup is too thick – it should be nice and pourable
4
For the rösti, preheat an oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Grate the potatoes using a coarse grater, then pile in a sieve and mix with a good pinch of salt. Place the sieve over a bowl and leave for ten minutes – the salt will draw some of the moisture out of the potato
5
Meanwhile, make the black pudding crumb. Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, crumble the black pudding into it and fry until crispy. Keep breaking up the black pudding whilst it’s frying with a wooden spoon, stirring to ensure it doesn't burn. Once crisp, remove the pan from the heat and set aside
6
Squeeze the excess water out of the grated potato. Clean out the frying pan and place it over a medium heat with another splash of oil. Place 6cm ring moulds in the pan and fill with grated potato, making sure to pack the potato in fairly tightly and fill out the whole mould. Colour the rösti on both sides, then transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes
7
While the rösti are baking, bring a salted pan of water to the boil, then lower to a very gentle simmer. Poach the eggs for 3 minutes for a runny yolk, or longer for a firmer finish. Once each egg is poached, lift it out and keep it in warm water ready for plating up
8
When ready to serve, gently reheat the soup then divide it between 4 bowls. Place the rösti in the middle and top with a poached egg. Garnish with the black pudding crumb, a bit of sea salt and some fresh watercress around the outside
First published in 2019
GBC Kitchen

GBC Kitchen is where you'll find accessible, inspiring recipes with a twist, from our in-house team of recipe developers. Perfect for mid-week meals or special occasions alike, GBC Kitchen recipes will help you become a more confident cook, and impress those around you in the meantime!

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