So I took a little break from blogging for a few weeks, so that meant I felt the pressure to return with an AWESOME soup. Done and done!
I'll be honest. I saw the recipe, but didn't know for sure it was going to be amazing. I've never tried watercress before, cooked or raw. Wikipedia called it "peppery." I'm not sure that came across in the soup but it was super yummy regardless.
This was a perfect starter for a yummy seafood diner. I was happy
to make it for my mom and her friends for a birthday celebration. The guests loved it, and it was fun to cook for a new audience.I wasn't surprised that this was one of the more pricey soups to make since scallops can add up quickly. However, with a little more time and advanced planning, I could have cut the cost a bit. I ended up purchasing the watercress & scallops at Whole Foods, and buying twice the amount of scallops just because it seemed like it would not be enough. The watercress was not available at my regular Real Produce spot, even though I've seen it there before. Had I known, I could have probably found it at an Asian market much cheaper. Also, I wasn't sure how much it would chop down to, so I ended up buying too much and could have gotten away with only 1 bunch. I also found out after the fact that Trader Joe's sells frozen scallops for $12.99 for about the same amount in cost and bulk that I purchased from Whole Foods at TWICE the price! I was thinking Whole Foods would have some awesome fresh scallops, but it turns out they are previously frozen anyway. They tasted great regardless, which leads me to believe that when I make this again --and I WILL-- that I will cut the cost and buy the bag at Trader Joe's. But still, it's not a full meal, so it's not a good budget course at all.
Another reason to L O V E this soup is that it was so quick and easy to make! I started by sauteing the leaks and potatoes till leeks were tender. I added the broth, brought to a simmer, and let simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. After potatoes were tender, I removed from the heat and added the watercress until it wiled, for about 5 minutes. Once again I got to get out my super cool immersion blender and puree. I whisked in the sour cream and added milk until the desired consistency then seasoned with salt and pepper. Delish!
For the scallops, I melted oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. I cooked about 2 minutes on each side. This was the first time I've cooked scallops too, so it was hard to tell when they were done and I was afraid to overcook. But I guess I had a little streak of beginner's luck because they were perfect.
I took the picture as the recipe calls for with just one scallop, but since I had extra and they were delicious, I added an extra scallop to every one's bowl.
Ingredients
3 1/2 tablespoons butter / from home
3 cups chopped leeks /2 bunches @ $1.79 = $3.58 / Real Produce
2 medium russet potatoes (peeled & chopped into 1" cubes /$0.69/lb = $1.46 / Real Produce
4 1/2 cups chicken broth / $2.49 / Smart & Final
2 1/4 cups trimmed & coarsely chopped watercress / $2.99/bunch / Whole Foods
1/2 cup sour cream /$1.69 / Trader Joe's
3/4 cup whole milk / $1.29 / Trader Joe's
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil / from home
6 jumbo sea scallops, side muscles removed / $22.99/ lb = $21.61 / Whole Foods
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Taste: 5 stars
Prep: easy
Cost: $35.11
