You can freeze fresh watercress. You will have to cook with it once defrosted as the temperature changes will soften the leaves, meaning it won’t pack a crunch if you tried to enjoy it raw but still great for soups. If you’re tight on freezer space, why not chop it up first? Remember, you can use the whole plant!
What is the best way to store watercress?
To keep watercress fresh for up to 5 days, store it in the refrigerator in a deep bowl, upside-down with the stems submerged in cold water and the leafy tops covered with a plastic bag. Drain well before using. When a recipe calls for watercress tops, simply break the delicate leaves off the thick center stalks.
What can I do with a lot of watercress?
Happy cooking!
- Salads. It may seem obvious but watercress is the perfect base for any salad, adding crunch, a peppery flavour, and a vibrant dark green colour.
- Smoothies.
- Soup.
- Sandwiches.
- Sauce.
- Pesto.
- Stir fries.
- Dips.
Can watercress go bad?
Once harvested, this aquatic leaf is highly perishable and needs to be refrigerated. Bunch watercress can be treated like a bouquet of flowers. Simply place the watercress stems in a jar of water and place it in the refrigerator. Cover the leaves loosely using a perforated bag.
How do you blanch watercress?
Blanch the watercress in a pot of salted water until they have wilted. This should about half a minute or so. Remove the watercress from the boiling water and immediately transfer into a bowl of ice water. This will stop the watercress from overcooking.
Is watercress a Superfood?
Watercress (nasturtium officinale) is a superfood; we already know that watercress is rich in vitamins, containing over 50 vital vitamins and minerals. Gram for gram contains more calcium than milk, more folate than bananas, more Vitamin C than oranges and more Vitamin E than broccoli.
Can you eat raw watercress?
Yes, absolutely – in fact watercress is best eaten raw. When the rest of us would be snacking on a biscuit, watercress growers are often seen wandering the farm chewing on fresh, uncooked watercress, and my, what a healthy bunch they are! In Victorian times watercress was regarded as an essential staple.
What are the side effects of eating watercress?
There are no known side effects of watercress at routine doses.
Do you eat the stems of watercress?
The entire watercress plant is edible – leaves, stalks and even the flowers. Only the roots are best discarded as they don’t taste great! Everything else can be eaten raw or added to your favourite dish to add that classic peppery flavour.
Is watercress good for your liver?
Cruciferous vegetables (think: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, chard, mustard and collard greens, bok choy, watercress, horseradish, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts) support the liver’s ability to detoxify the many less-than-healthy things we come into contact with (hello breathing, eating, and drinking) every day.
Is watercress good for inflammation?
Watercress also contains dietary nitrates, which boost blood vessel health by reducing inflammation and decreasing the stiffness and thickness of your blood vessels ( 21 ). Dietary nitrates have also been shown to lower blood pressure by increasing nitric oxide in your blood ( 22 ).
Do you have to wash watercress?
Always wash your watercress in cold water before eating, especially if it was touching the water. Immersing the cress in cold water also refreshes it and makes it come back to life, an important trick to have around if it was purchased or a bit wilted.
When should I cut watercress?
Harvesting watercress
Watercress leaves can be harvested from about 21 days after they emerge, and if you cut or prune the plant back to about 4 inches it will encourage thicker, lusher growth. Harvest the watercress using scissors and it will then grow back at least once.
How do you clean watercress?
To wash it, leave the bunch held together by a rubber band and plunge into a sink or basin of cold water and swish around, then drain and pat dry on a clean towel. Watercress can be torn into pieces and added to salads for a peppery bite, or sautéed and served warm.
How do you freeze dry watercress?
So, the best way to freeze watercress is to blend it into a soup or to create a delicious pesto before freezing it. This way, your watercress won’t go to waste and will contribute to a delicious family dish. However, if you want to freeze watercress as it is, simply chop and bag it up and place it in the freezer.
Which is healthier spinach or watercress?
Spinach is richer not only in vitamins but in minerals as well. Spinach has 15 times more iron, five times more zinc, and nearly four times more magnesium than watercress. Spinach is also richer in potassium, copper and contains higher levels of sodium.
Is watercress a laxative?
It is a powerful diuretic and natural laxative — it is a good gout and rheumatism remedy — it flushes uric acid from the system. Crushed Watercress leaves can be applied as a poultice for gout and rheumatism.
Which is healthier parsley or watercress?
The vitamin content of parsley is richer than that of watercress. Parsley contains five times more Vitamin K, two times more Vitamin C, five times more Vitamin B3, 15 times more folate, more Vitamin B2, and Vitamin A.
Who should not eat watercress?
Stay on the safe side and avoid use. Children: Watercress is LIKELY UNSAFE for use as a medicine in children, especially in those younger than four years old. Stomach or intestinal ulcers: Don’t use watercress if you have stomach or intestinal ulcers. Kidney disease: Don’t use watercress if you have kidney disease.
Can you get liver fluke from watercress?
People usually become infected by eating raw watercress or other water plants contaminated with immature parasite larvae. The young worms move through the intestinal wall, the abdominal cavity, and the liver tissue, into the bile ducts, where they develop into mature adult flukes that produce eggs.
Is watercress good for kidneys?
Watercress is suitable for all ages, except for those with kidney stones or who are at risk of kidney stones. This is because watercress contains a lot of oxalates, compounds that can cause stones to form. For this reason, it’s important not to eat too much watercress, or ask a health professional for advice.