Watercress Soup with Crispy Shoestring Potatoes

Step 1

Sauté vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, cook for 3 minutes to soften. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, thyme, ginger, curry powder, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 2

Simmer: Add potatoes, vegetable stock, and bay leaves. Cover with a lid slightly ajar, increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Cook until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Stir in the watercress and cook until it's wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Step 3

Blend: Transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth (you may need to do this in batches). Return the soup to the pot and season with more salt, if needed. Cover with a lid and keep warm on low heat. Top with crispy shoestring potatoes and red pepper flakes (to taste).

Step 4

Preheat: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Step 5

Spiralize: Use a spiralizer to cut the potatoes into thin strands. Transfer the potatoes onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, toss to coat. Sprinkle garlic powder, salt and pepper over top.

Step 6

Bake: Bake until crispy, 20 to 25 minutes, making sure to flip the potatoes half way through. Some strands may cook faster than others, so keep an eye on them, and remove pieces from the oven as they're done. Use as a garnish on the soup.