Recipes Using Watercress and Smoked Salmon

Recipes for Watercress Soup and Salmon and Dill Blinis

© Elaine Findlay

Sep 17, 2009

This article for Excuses to Party in July suggests serving blinis at a party to commemorate the assassination of Tsar Nicholas II and his family or celebrating St Swithin’s Day with dishes using watercress. Here are two recipes, one for smoked salmon and dill blinis and the other for a tasty watercress soup.

Smoked Salmon and Dill Blinis

Although the following recipe for blinis is pretty easy, it does take quite a bit of time so don’t be afraid to cheat by buying ready made from the supermarket. However, the unassembled blinis, once cooked, will keep very well overnight in the fridge so they can be made the day before.

Ingredients:

• ½ level tbsp dried yeast
• ½ pt milk
• 6 oz plain flour
• 1 egg, separated
• 1 tbsp cream
• Pinch of salt
• Oil for frying
• Slices of smoked salmon
• A couple of sprigs of fresh dill
• Cream cheese

Method:

1. Warm the milk on the hob until it has reached around about blood temperature
2. Add the yeast to the warm milk and stir thoroughly
3. Put 3oz of flour in a basin and add the yeasty milk to it, mixing it into a dough
4. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove for a couple of hours
5. Add the rest of the flour, the egg yolk and salt and mix well to form a thick batter
6. Whisk the egg white well and fold into the batter
7. Allow to rest for half an hour
8. To cook, heat up some oil in a frying plan and drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into it, gently coaxing the batter into tiny round pancake shapes. Repeat until the batter is all used up
9. Cook each pancake for a couple of minutes on each side
10. When all the blini are cooked and have cooled, spread each one with a bit of cream cheese and top the cheese with a small twist of smoked salmon and sprinkle with dill

Watercress Soup Recipe

Watercress soup is extremely refreshing as well as packed full of vitamins and minerals. It’s also very quick and easy to make and can be served hot or cold. To turn it into cream of watercress soup, add a swirl of sour cream just before serving. It can be dished up on its own as a starter to a dinner or will make a delicious lunch if served with a chunk of buttered granary bread.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz butter
• 2 oz plain flour
• 1pt chicken stock
• ½ pt milk
• 1 medium onion
• 2 bunches watercress

Method:

1. Peel and finely chop the onion
2. Wash and chop the watercress
3. Sauté the onion in the butter until it’s transparent but not browned
4. Add the watercress and sauté for another couple of minutes, stirring
5. Add the flour and stir gently for about a minute so the flour is absorbed in the butter but not browned
6. Gently add the stock and milk, bit by bit, stirring all the time until it begins to thicken
7. Bring to the boil and simmer for one minute
8. Remove from heat and blitz in a blender
9. Reheat gently or, if serving chilled, leave to cool in the fridge

How to Make Smoked Salmon and Dill Blini

How to Make Watercress Soup

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