Watercress Recipes

Crunchy Spring Salad

This recipe comes from Margo True’s piece ¿The Accidental Pioneer” (April 2005) about Laura Chenel, the pioneering cheese maker who created American chevre. Chenel advised us to use the juice of Meyer lemons–in season from winter through late spring–to dress this salad. See the recipe for Crunchy Spring Salad »

Knife-and-Fork Egg Salad Sandwiches with Chives

Molly Stevens often serves this egg salad on slices of brown bread made according to the classic recipe found in James Beard’s Beard on Bread (Knopf, 1973), though it’s equally delicious atop any bread or even eaten on its own.

Watercress Salad with Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing was originally sold by its inventor, Steve Henson, as a seasoning packet that contained, among other ingredients, dehydrated garlic, dehydrated onion, black pepper, and dried parsley; all cooks had to do was add mayonnaise and buttermilk. Our version uses fresh herbs, but fresh garlic and onion won’t do: only the dried powders produce this dressing’s characteristic flavor. See the recipe for Watercress Salad with Ranch Dressing»

Panes con Pavo (Salvadoran Turkey Sandwich)

Poultry features in the Panes con Pavo, from El Salvador, with its beer-braised turkey filling.

Radish Kimchi

Very large, firm daikon radishes are the best for making this classic kimchi.

Cobb Salad

Los Angeles’s Brown Derby closed its doors long ago, but this classic salad, invented in 1937 by the restaurant’s owner, Robert H. Cobb, lives on.

A tangy cabbage slaw and a drizzle of remoulade accompany these luscious sandwiches.

Egg and Watercress Sandwich

If serving these elegant sandwiches for afternoon tea, remove the crusts and cut each into 4 triangles or 2 rectangles. Arrange in stacks of 2 alongside the rest of your tea sandwiches.

German-style Green sauce (Grune Sosse)

German’s famed herb sauce is tangy with buttermilk and enriched with sour cream that features herbs like sorrel and watercress; it’s wonderful with boiled vegetables.

Shrimp and Herb Canapés

Slices of shrimp make a colorful garnish for delicate canapés spread with a seasoned butter pureed with additional shrimp. Get the recipe for Shrimp and Herb Canapés »

Cream of Watercress Soup

Watercress lends a peppery kick to this elegant springtime soup from The Paris Cookbook by Patricia Wells; garnished with heavy cream and caviar, it’s a luxurious first course. ** See the recipe for Cream of Watercress Soup »**

Chicken and Egg Club Sandwich

A toasted poppy seed bagel is piled high with crisp greens, oven-dried tomatoes, roasted chicken, bacon, a fried egg, and homemade buttermilk dressing for a decadent spin on the traditional club sandwich. Get the recipe for Chicken and Egg Club Sandwich »