Watercress: clean green; pools of pure water produce peppery sprigs for summer dishes - Food - Sumida Farm in Oahu; watercress grower David Sumida - includes recipes

Sunset, August, 2003 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

Wearing rubber boots, David Sumida stands ankle-deep in a pond of water carpeted with green. He waves foot-long leafy green stems in the air to make his point: "Watercress is the cleanest vegetable around. There's no mud--it grows on a bed of gravel in springwater. It takes one million gallons of water a day to grow 1 acre of watercress."

Here at Sumida Farm, a 10-acre oasis surrounded by four shopping malls in Oahu's Pearl Harbor basin, Sumida and his sister, Barbara, grow watercress, as the family has done since 1928. Threatened with development, the third generation stubbornly remains. "We're here because it's the best location to grow watercress in. Pure springwater from the Ko blau Range bubbles from below, but no mountains block the sun," explains Sumida. This indeed seems to be an ideal place: long days of strong Hawaii sun produce bouquet-size bunches of watercress for bright island cuisine.

Although Sumida watercress is available exclusively in local island markets, mainland-grown watercress packs an equally distinctive peppery bite. This pretty leafy green, wherever it's grown, adds punch to salads, soups, and sauces.

Hot Beef and Wilted Watercress Salad

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes

NOTES: Serve this main-dish salad with hot cooked rice.

MAKES: 2 servings

    8 ounces watercress (2 qt.)
    8 ounces fat-trimmed beef sirloin, about 3/4 inch thick
    3 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
    1 tablespoon sugar
    1 teaspoon coarse-ground pepper
    2 teaspoons vegetable oil
    1 onion (6 oz.), peeled and thinly sliced
    2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
      Salt

1. Rinse watercress and drain well. Pick tender sprigs from tough stems and cut into 3- to 4-inch lengths (you should have about 6 cups sprigs); reserve stems for another use or discard. Arrange watercress sprigs in a shallow bowl or on a rimmed serving plate.

2. Rinse beef and pat dry; trim and discard excess fat. Cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices about 3 inches long.

3. In a small bowl; mix lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper.

4. Set a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over high heat. When hot, add 1 teaspoon oil and tilt pan to coat bottom. Add onion and stir until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Pour onto watercress.

5. Return pan to high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil and the beef and garlic; stir often until beef is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add limejuice mixture and stir until it boils. Pour from pan over onions and watercress. At the table, mix gently before serving. Add salt to taste.

Per serving: 293 cal., 34% (99 cal.) from fat; 30 g protein; 11 g fat (2.7 g sat.); 20 g carbo (4 g fiber); 562 mg sodium; 69 mg chol.

Watercress Vichyssoise

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 40 minutes

NOTES: If you use buttermilk, this soup will have a pleasant tang; cream, on the other hand, brings out the flavor of the watercress and potato. Serve soup hot or cold.

MAKES: 6 servings

1 pound thin-skinned potatoes
1 quart vegetable broth
  or fat-skimmed chicken broth
8 ounces watercress (2 qt.)
1 1/2 cups regular or low-fat buttermilk
  or whipping cream (see notes)
  Salt and pepper

1. Peel potatoes and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over high heat, bring potatoes and broth to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes axe tender when pierced, 18 to 25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, rinse and drain watercress. Pick six tender sprigs from stems and reserve. Coarsely chop remaining watercress, including stems; you should have 2 1/2 to 3 cups. Stir chopped watercress into potato-broth mixture and cook just until watercress is bright green and wilted, about 1 minute.

3. Pour half the potato-watercress mixture into a blender and, holding lid closed with a towel, whirl until smooth. Pour into a bowl. Repeat to puree remaining soup; pour into bowl. Stir in buttermilk.

4. To serve soup hot, return to pan and stir over medium heat just until steaming (do not boil). To serve cold, cover and chill until cold, 3 to 4 hours.

5. Ladle into bowls. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with reserved watercress sprigs.

Per serving: 106 cal., 8% (8.1 cal.) from fat; 4.79 protein; 0.9 g fat (0.39 sat.); 209 carbo (1.99 fiber); 132 mg sodium; 2.5mg chol.

Double-Cress Salad

PREP TIME: About 10 minutes

NOTES: George Mavrothalassitis of Chef Mavro restaurant in Honolulu developed this simple salad. It's delicious as a companion to fish, chicken, or steak.

MAKES: 4 servings

8 ounces watercress (2 qt.)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, peeled and pressed Salt and pepper

1. Rinse watercress and drain well. Pick tender sprigs from stems and cut into 3- to 4-inch lengths; you should have about 6 cups sprigs. Finely chop enough of the stems to make 2 tablespoons; save remainder for other uses or discard.

2. In a large bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and chopped watercress stems. Add watercress sprigs and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.