Watercress

About

Watercress has a bittersweet, peppery, mineral freshness and was traditionally used as a garnish for roast meats, though it works well in more prominent roles. It pairs effectively with combinations of salty and sweet ingredients, such as being blended into a salty stock with sweet milk or cream for soup, or layered between sweet bread and salty butter for a sandwich. Liquefied with sour cream and a pinch of salt, it also makes a refreshing sauce.

Pairs well with watercress

• EaPotatoChinese versions of watercress soup are typically broth-based, often with pork, while French and British versions favor a thicker potage…
• SuEggGarden cress has a milder mustard bite than its close relative watercress, but both provide a peppery contrast to egg's richness,…
• CiOrangeA balanced salad needs sweet, sour and bitter notes plus something salty like olives.
• MeBeefTagliata is a Tuscan dish of seared, thinly sliced beef steak served over raw arugula (or watercress as a substitute), dressed only by the…
• MaShellfishWatercress's peppery bite balances the richness of shellfish, as in a salad of watercress, lobster and black sesame seeds, or a deep-green…
• MePorkIn southern China, watercress is slowly simmered with pork ribs to make a simple soup, sometimes flavored with fresh ginger or with…
• MeChickenWatercress's peppery bite and fresh greenness balance the sweetness of roast chicken, similar to how horseradish complements roast beef;…
• MaOily FishTrout naturally feed among watercress, drawn less to the leaves than to the tiny crustaceans living in its thickets, making the two a…
• ChGoat CheeseWatercress's bitterness sharpens goat cheese's edge, and both share a similar mineral quality.
• BrAnchovyAnchovy and watercress work like a more refined salt-and-pepper pairing, anchovy's saltiness against watercress's peppery bite.
• ChBlue CheeseSweet-salty Stilton contrasts nicely with watercress's bitter, peppery flavor, and both share a faint metallic note.
• BrSmoked FishRich, salty smoked fish pairs well with watercress's heat but benefits from a softening, slightly sweet element, eggs and cream in a tart,…
• SpParsnipRoasted parsnip and watercress share a bitter spiciness, tempered by watercress's fresh, clean edge and parsnip's sweetness, good tossed…