This Mary Berry Watercress Sauce is a vibrant and creamy condiment popular for its fresh, peppery bite that cuts through rich fish dishes. Ideally, the watercress should be blitzed just before serving or kept in an airtight container to maintain its bright green color.
Mary Berry Watercress Sauce Ingredients
- 85g (3oz) fresh watercress, washed and tough stalks removed
- 200g (7oz) crème fraîche (full-fat is best for texture)
- 100g (3½oz) good quality mayonnaise
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (or lime juice)
- Pinch of sugar (optional, to balance the bitterness)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How To Make Mary Berry Watercress Sauce
- Prepare the watercress: Pick over the watercress carefully. Discard any yellowing leaves and snap off the thick, woody stalks (use mostly the leaves and fine stems). Coarsely chop the leaves to make them easier to blend.
- Blitz the greens: Place the chopped watercress into a food processor or mini chopper. Add a tablespoon of the crème fraîche. Pulse until the watercress is finely chopped. You don’t want a completely smooth green purée; tiny flecks of dark green watercress look attractive in the pale sauce.
- Combine the dairy: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining crème fraîche and the mayonnaise until smooth and combined.
- Fold and finish: Scrape the blitzed watercress mixture into the bowl with the creamy base. Stir well to combine until the sauce turns a lovely pale green.
- Season: Add the lemon juice. Taste the sauce. Watercress can be peppery and slightly bitter, so add salt, black pepper, and a tiny pinch of sugar if needed to balance the flavors.
- Chill: Cover the bowl tightly with cling film and refrigerate until needed. It is best served chilled.
Recipe Tips
- Stalk removal: Do not skip removing the thick stalks. They can be stringy and fibrous, which ruins the smooth texture of the sauce, and they tend to carry a more bitter flavor than the leaves.
- Blanching option: If you want the sauce to keep its bright green color for longer (more than 24 hours), blanch the watercress in boiling water for 10 seconds and plunge it into ice water before squeezing dry and blending. This sets the chlorophyll. Mary’s quick version uses raw leaves for a punchier peppery taste.
- Consistency: If you find the sauce too thick (depending on your crème fraîche brand), you can thin it down with a teaspoon of milk or water until it reaches a pouring consistency.
- Mayonnaise quality: As with the Marie Rose sauce, use a high-quality, thick mayonnaise. Low-fat versions can make the sauce watery.
What To Serve With Mary Berry Watercress Sauce
This sauce is the traditional partner for salmon but works with other dishes too.
- Poached Salmon: The ultimate pairing; the pepper cuts the oily fish.
- Smoked Trout: A classic British combination.
- Cold Roast Chicken: Adds moisture and zest to cold cuts.
- Asparagus: A creamy alternative to hollandaise.
- Fish Cakes: Excellent for dipping.
How To Store Mary Berry Watercress Sauce
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. After this, the watercress may start to weep liquid and lose its vibrant green color.
- Freeze: Do not freeze. The crème fraîche and mayonnaise emulsion will separate upon thawing.
Mary Berry Watercress Sauce Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 140kcal
- Protein: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fat: 15g
- Saturates: 6g
- Sugar: 1g
- Salt: 0.3g
Nutrition information is estimated per serving (approx. 2 tbsp).
FAQs
Yes, sour cream is a good substitute, though it has a slightly more acidic tang. If using sour cream, you might want to reduce the lemon juice slightly.
Yes, you can put all the ingredients into a blender and blitz until smooth. This will result in a uniform pastel green sauce rather than a white sauce with green flecks.
Watercress has a natural peppery heat, similar to rocket (arugula) or radish. This heat mellows significantly when mixed with the creamy dairy ingredients.
Try More Recipes:
Mary Berry Watercress Sauce Recipe
Description
A fresh and creamy cold sauce made with peppery watercress, crème fraîche, and mayonnaise, perfect for serving with poached salmon or trout.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Remove tough stalks from watercress.
- Blitz watercress with 1 tbsp crème fraîche in a processor until fine.
- Mix remaining crème fraîche and mayonnaise in a bowl.
- Stir in the blitzed watercress.
- Add lemon juice and season to taste.
- Chill before serving.
Notes
- It is important to dry the watercress thoroughly after washing; excess water will thin the sauce and dilute the creamy texture.
- Adding the lemon juice at the very end prevents the sauce from curdling or becoming too loose before you have mixed the ingredients properly.
- If you cannot find watercress, fresh rocket (arugula) makes a decent substitute with a similar peppery flavor profile, though the color will be slightly different.
