Vegetable
Watercress
Also called cress, kōwhitiwhiti
A peppery aquatic green with small round leaves and hollow stems. Eaten raw in salads and cooked in soups and the Māori boil-up.
Origin
Europe and Asia; naturalised in New Zealand streams.
Flavour
Peppery and mustardy raw; mellow and mineral when cooked.
How to use it
Add raw to salads and sandwiches, or drop whole bunches into a simmering pot in the last 15 minutes.
Storage
Stems in a glass of water in the fridge, leaves covered loosely. Use within two days.
Recipes using it
Boil-up
Pork bones simmered with potato, kūmara and watercress, finished with soft flour doughboys — the Māori one-pot dinner.
Easy
Cobb salad
Chopped lettuce and watercress laid out in rows with chicken, bacon, egg, avocado, tomato and blue cheese, dressed in a sharp red wine vinaigrette.
Easy
