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Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales (Formerly Lady Diana Spencer) has kindly given her permission for Lancaster chapter to include her recipe for Watercress Soup. Serves 3.

Ingredients

• 1 oz. (25 g) butter

• 1/2 pt. (275 ml) single cream

• 1 oz. (25 g) flour

• Salt and freshly milled black

• 1 1/4 pt. (570 ml) warmed chicken pepper stock

• bunches (about 6 oz. or 175 g) fresh watercress

Method

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the flour and cook for a couple of minutes on a low heat, stirring gently.

2. Now slowly add the warmed chicken stock until you have a creamy consistency.

3. Wash the watercress thoroughly and add it to the mixture.

4. Cook slowly until the stalks are soft, stirring occasionally; this will take about 20 minutes.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the soup to cool.

6. Liquefy the mixture in a blender or food processor, then pass it all through a fine sieve into a bowl.

7. Add the cream (reserving a little to garnish the top of each portion), then cover the bowl and chill until ready to serve.

8. A few leaves of watercress, previously blanched, can provide additional garnish if required.

Courtesy of Princess Diana, House of Lancaster Cookery Book, 1986