1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large stockpot and cook the onion and garlic with some salt until soft. Add the potato and stock when ready then bring to the boil. Simmer for 7-8 minutes depending on the size of your potato chunks – they should be soft but not quite cooked through.
2. Add the peas and watercress and bring back to the boil. Simmer for a further 3-4 minutes. The watercress should wilt down at this point so don’t think you’re using too much as it will shrink right up, much like spinach.
3. Remove from the heat. Add the most of the leaves from your springs of mint and blitz using a hand blender. Stir in the cream and bring back the boil. Season with salt and black pepper then serve with some warm crusty bread and stick a mint leaf on top to make it look fancy.
Spruce it Up
Spinach was mentioned above and it makes a great alternative to watercress if spinach is readily available and on offer as it often is. You won’t get the peppery flavour like you do with watercress but it’ll still be tasty and packed with goodness.