Watercress is a bitter, slightly spicy leafy plant that can be used in sandwiches, salads, and as a bed for grilled meats. It should be inspected for freshness and not purchased in the wild. Proper preparation and storage is important for maintaining freshness.
Watercress is a dark green leafy plant with fibrous stems and thick, round leaves. Its slightly spicy and bitter taste often goes well, in sandwiches, with black bread and mustard. Cooks can also combine it with other bitter greens, bacon, and savory cheeses in salads. When sauteed, the bitterness is reduced slightly and the vegetables can serve as a bed for grilled chicken or beef. Those choosing watercress for home use should typically inspect the leaves and stems, making sure they have good color. It’s also usually wiser to pick home-grown or farm-grown vegetables over wild varieties.
Natives of the British Isles have been eating watercress for thousands of years. It grows in shallow-flowing beds where water constantly flows around it, giving watercress its name. Though the ancients plucked it out of the water, modern cooks should generally opt for greens available at farmers markets, grocery stores, and in their own gardens. Wild varieties might carry parasites, such as liver fluke.
The fresher this plant, the better its flavor and texture. The leaves should be dark green, firm, and just a little tough. They should be free from yellow spots and feel dry, not slimy. The stems should also feel dry and slightly rough. Slippery yellow stems or slime on the leaves indicate that the watercress is starting to go stale. This slimy texture doesn’t usually make the leaves edible, but it often spoils the flavor.
While watercress doesn’t appear slimy or yellow, consumers should also reject wilted leaves and mushy stems. These factors usually don’t affect the flavor, but they mean the leaves won’t stay fresh all the time. Even clear watercress usually doesn’t have the same pleasant crunch as the fresh variety. Consumers should typically check the center of the clusters to make sure there are no bad leaves hiding there. These bad leaves give off gases that can cause all the products in the refrigerator to deteriorate more quickly.
When cooks get this house green, it’s important to prepare it before popping it in the fridge. This generally ensures that the leaves stay fresh for a little longer and reduces preparation time when cooking. Cooks should typically cut off the watercress stems and discard them. The leaves should be rinsed in cold water to remove soil and other contaminants. Consumers should gently dry the leaves with clean paper towels and gently place them in sealable plastic bags for storage. It’s important not to squash or squash the leaves in the bags, but rather do this like stuffing a delicate pillow and keep the leaves slightly apart.
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