You can use it like you'd use chopped spinach in things like spanikopita. Maybe just blanche and chop it and freeze for later use?

Stir fry watercress.

No, you can't do hot pot with the same tasty broth as in a restaurant. The chef's name there is "MSG".

dcarch

if you have a juicing machine, it makes phenomenally healthy juice mixed with oj, apples, etc for natural sweetness. Also, there is no better sandwich in this world that ham/watercress, though you've already said bread is off (and prob. salty ham). However, if you sin, watercress/ham will almost void your transgression, yum!

Thanks, everyone!

LOL, dcarch. At our house when I was growing up, the chef's name was "Accent." :)

This is one of my favorite recipes using watercress, although I usually use half fresh spinach and half watercress.

ASIAN SALISBURY STEAKS 2 servings

8 oz. lean ground beef
1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 Tbs. plain dry breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. hoisin sauce, divided
2 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil, divided
8 cups trimmed watercress (2 bunches or one 4-oz. bag)
1/4 cup rice wine or dry sherry

Place rack in upper third of oven; preheat the broiler. Coat a broiler pan and rack with cooking spray.

Gently mix beef, red pepper, scallions, breadcrumbs, 1 Tbs. hoisin sauce and ginger in a medium bowl until just combined. Form the mixture into two oblong patties and place on the prepared broiler-pan rack. Brush the tops of the patties with 1/2 tsp. oil. Broil, flipping once, until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tsp. oil in a skillet over high heat. Add watercress and cook, stirring often, until just wilted, 1 to 3 minutes. Divide the watercress between two plates. Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add rice wine or sherry and the remaining 1 Tbs. hoisin sauce. Cook, stirring, until smooth, bubbling and slightly reduced, about one minute. Top the watercress with the Salisbury steaks and drizzle with the pan sauce.

Thanks, ruthanna. I wonder what the best wheat-free substitute for breadcrumbs would be. (I don't care for gluten-free bread, so I never have that around, either.)

wb, do you have any wheat-free/gf cereal to substitute? e.g., corn flakes or plain cheerios.

ETA: whole or coarse-chopped oats would work too.

Gluten free breadcrumbs are a lot better than gluten free bread. Or you might like "gluten free matzah like squares" (Yehuda brand) or meal.

I LOVE watercress. For years they didn't have it in the stores here, but recently it's been coming in a hank with roots. Love it raw in salads. In omelettes. In sandwiches (could be a lettuce wrap sandwich). Great on top of soup or chili (mild if you don't want to overwhelm the cress). My best way to use up an armful would be to have some clean and ready at all times and just put it on whatever I was making. :)

Thanks, ruthanna.

Gluten free breadcrumbs are a lot better than gluten free bread. Or you might like "gluten free matzah like squares" (Yehuda brand) or meal.

It's the xanthan gum that doesn't agree with me, mostly, plllog, so thanks for the suggestion. It doesn't appear to be used in the Yehuda matzo squares or meal.

I'll still have plenty of watercress after this--I'm just trying to keep it from strangling the tomatoes and eggplants. :)

Well, YUM! Grilled eggplant slices with watercress!

I've been using the Yehuda for my GF dear ones and it's fine measure for measure with bread crumbs. I get it about the gum. It doesn't bother me in baked goods, but I won't go near it in dairy products. I think it helps the bread keep its form during handling. There are lots of GF recipes without gum if you want to bake at home.

Thanks, pllllog. In my case, it's not gluten sensitivity, just that wheat aggravates my asthma. I'm fine with other foods that contain gluten, and with wheat in some countries overseas.

For the breadcrumbs, try powdered almond instead.

Thanks, Islay. I use almond meal in some recipes, like salmon cakes, but wasn't sure how it would work with the beef.

BTW, plllog, one of my favorite ways to fix eggplant is Persian Turmeric Eggplant: heat a skillet (preferably cast iron) good and hot. Slice eggplant into coins and spread in the hot pan. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the eggplant, then sprinkle with turmeric, thyme, salt, and pepper. When the bottom of the eggplant is good and crusty brown, flip and season the other side.

I mostly grow oriental eggplants, so this is dish is a regular around here.

Oops, thought I'd replied to this. Sorry, plllog. Thanks for the suggestion to roast them. I need to do that more often and I'll definitely try your way. Sounds delicious.

And thanks also for the Ezekiel bread suggestion. I have tried it, but I don't love it. I've gotten pretty used to going without bread and now a lot of it tastes a bit odd to me.

I certainly get it about the bread flavor. I was just thinking of breadcrumbs and your watercress. I was also wondering if spelt bread would work for your watercress sandwiches, or if it's too wheat-ish for your allergies. Rye would overpower the cress and it's hard to find barley bread other than the Moroccan kind, which isn't very fluffy, and that only if you have a Moroccan store nearby.

Thanks again, plllog. No alas, no Moroccan stores here--not even an Indian Grocery, only West Indian.

FWIW I make a yummy & simple salad w/watercress, shaved apples & parmesan cheese. I use the wide slicing blade of a grater to make slivers of the cheese & apple and dress it w/ some lemon juice & a touch of olive oil, S&P.

Grandma used to love watercress sandwiches, although that would require bread. Hers had only butter, watercress, salt and pepper, usually, although occasionally she'd add a hard boiled egg, sliced.

I've also got a recipe, somewhere, for pesto made with watercress instead of basil, but I haven't been able to find it. It's here somewhere...

Annie

Thanks, carolb. I make a similar salad, but my very favorite is watercress, romaine, nasturtiums, chives, red onion, greek peppers, and olives. It's been too hot for lettuce this winter, though. The seeds germinate, then bolt immediately.

Annie, thanks for the pesto suggestion. I do make my regular pesto recipe with watercress sometimes, but I also have a mass of basil that's trying to bloom right now that also needs harvesting. Darned hot winter has everything confused. It was 86º here last week before the cold front.

I'm kind of amazed that you're growing watercress here in FL - & you're south of me, aren't you?

I absolutely love watercress. I am so envious that you have so much.

I am in New England and wonder about thrying to grow some in a pot (maybe sunk into water?).

Here is a simple watercress salad from Bogota, Colombia:

-- Perhaps 4 to 6 cups of fresh watercress -- washed and dried, whole, not chopped.

-- Ripe cherry tomatoes (whole or halved -- I prefer halved)

-- A simple dressing of freshly squeezed lemon juice and good extra virgin olive oil & a bit of salt. Blend this well and drizzle over the the large bowl of cress and tomatoes. Toss to totally coat cress and tomatoes.

I can eat platefuls of this.

Ed. 12:37 ET

Thanks, Petalique. That does sound good.

I'm kind of amazed that you're growing watercress here in FL

Hi, carolb. Yes, I'm south of you (Hutchinson Island), but I'm growing it hydroponically. It usually lasts through about the first of June before the weather does it in, because the roots stay cool in the tower.