Recipe: Watercress Soup with Shrimp and Article: Soups Are Welcome Year Round

SOUPS ARE WELCOME YEAR ROUND

Soup has come in from the cold. It is now as common on hot summer days as it is in chillier months.

While winter soup is hearty and rich, warm-weather soups tend to be light and fresh tasting. Soups can be made creamy by using potatoes as well as cream. And with greens like spinach and watercress, this actually lets the vegetable's flavor come out more clearly than it does in cream-laden soups that tend to mask flavors.

Greens like watercress also are packed with vitamins, minerals and other health-protective substances. Compared to light-colored lettuce, the darker leafy greens like watercress, spinach, romaine and arugula have more beta-carotene, vitamin C and folate, a B vitamin linked to lower risk of cancer and heart disease.

Watercress and other cruciferous vegetables, which include spinach, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, cabbage and kale, contain several compounds that seem to help prevent cancer from developing. Some people don't like the occasionally sharp or bitter taste of cruciferous vegetables, so be careful not to overcook which tends to exaggerate their assertive flavors. Many of these vegetables, like watercress, spinach and bok choy, can be added raw to salads.

For optimum flavor when cooking, steam or stir-fry these vegetables briefly, and add flavorings such as a little olive oil and garlic to smooth out the taste.

The addition of a few shrimp makes this potato and watercress soup a whole meal, refreshing whether well-chilled in the summer or served hot when the weather is cool.

WATERCRESS SOUP WITH SHRIMP

1 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 bunch watercress, tough lower stems removed
3 potatoes, about 1 lb., peeled and diced
1 quart fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 large shrimp, boiled and shelled

In a small Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and saut until it is translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Do not let it turn brown.

Add the watercress, stirring until it is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.

When the soup has cooled slightly, transfer to a blender and pur e until it is creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds. (Do this in 2 batches.)

Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Pour it into a container and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours.

TO SERVE:
Halve the shrimp lengthwise. Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Check and adjust the seasoning as needed. Arrange 4 shrimp halves on the surface of each serving of soup. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 152 calories, 3 g. total fat (2 g. saturated fat), 25 g. carbohydrate, 7 g. protein, 2 g. dietary fiber, 609 mg. sodium.

Source: the American Institute for Cancer Research