Watercress soup with flaked salmon

Serves 4

I like matching ingredients that have an affinity in their natural habitat. For example, crayfish and pike or maybe samphire and cockles. Watercress and salmon have a freshwater habitat in common, and work well together as they both have earthy, but fresh flavours. The colours - the vibrant green and pink - make a great and effortless natural contrast.

I like matching ingredients that have an affinity in their natural habitat. For example, crayfish and pike or maybe samphire and cockles. Watercress and salmon have a freshwater habitat in common, and work well together as they both have earthy, but fresh flavours. The colours - the vibrant green and pink - make a great and effortless natural contrast.

250g watercress, stalks removed
1 leek, well rinsed, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 tbsp vegetable or corn oil
1 litre vegetable stock
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 piece of salmon fillet, weighing about 300g, skinned and boned
1tbsp olive oil
2-3tbs crème fraîche

Cut the stalks from the watercress and put the leaves to one side. Gently cook the leek in the vegetable oil in a covered pan until soft, without allowing it to colour. Add the vegetable stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the watercress stalks and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add two-thirds of the watercress leaves and blend the soup in a liquidiser, or with a stick blender, until smooth. Strain through a fine-meshed medium sieve, not too fine as it becomes watery. Bring back to the boil briefly and season again with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Meanwhile season the salmon fillet, heat the olive oil in a thick-bottomed pan and cook the salmon for 2-3 minutes on each side, until pink, and remove from the pan.

Serve the soup hot or cold, with pieces of salmon flaked into it and an optional dessert spoonful of crème fraîche on top.