A great traditional Hampshire recipe using watercress from our clear, clean chalk streams.

Ingredients...

Two good bunches of watercress rinsed, thoroughly, destalked and roughly chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced

White ends of 4 slim leeks, sliced (use an onion if there are no leeks)

50g butter

1.5 ltr light chicken stock, vegetable bouillon or water

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

150ml double or single cream, or yoghurt

Grated nutmeg to serve (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation...

1Melt the butter in a large pan, add the potatoes, leeks, garlic and watercress, season with salt and stir to coat with the butter.

Cover and sweat over a very low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2Add the stock or water, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

Allow to cool and liquidise well, then stir in the cream or yoghurt and reheat gently.

Be careful with single cream and yoghurt as they can curdle if the temperature gets too near boiling.

3Add a few good grinds of black pepper, then check and if necessary adjust the seasoning.

4Serve plain, or with a drizzled twist of cream, a few scrapes of grated nutmeg and a sprig of watercress to garnish.