Watercress is the cultivated form of the wild watercress, which belongs to the cabbage family (Brassicaceae). It is an evergreen perennial herb with creeping rhizomes and a soft, hairless stem that can reach half a metre tall. It often forms large stands in wet areas. The leaves are pinnate with one to three pairs of almost round leaflets. The flowers are white. The herb is rich in vitamin C. It grows all over the world and is widely used in England and France.
Watercress has a piquant flavour of pepper, radish and mustard, but is milder than ordinary garden cress. Good with grilled meat and in mixed salad.
Harvest the green shoots when the plants are 4–5 cm tall. Both the stems and the small green leaves are eaten in salads, in soups and cold sauces, and as a sandwich topping.
Goes well with apple and citrus fruit.
