This is one of Raymond Blanc’s famous soups that can be prepared from seasonal vegetables in less than half an hour. If you cook it quickly, adding boiling water to the cooking pot instead of cold and then adding ice, the original flavours will be retained, and the vitamins and minerals within the vegetables will be maximised.

YOU WILL NEED 20g/1oz unsalted butter 100g/3½oz white onion, finely chopped One garlic clove, finely chopped 300g/10½oz watercress, tough stems removed Sea salt and freshly-ground black peppercorns 100g/10½oz spinach leaves 500ml/17½ fl oz boiling water 500g/17½ oz ice cubes 100ml /3½ fl oz crème fraiche.

METHOD In a large saucepan on a medium heat, melt the butter and gently cook the chopped onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes, or until soft and translucent but not coloured. This gentle sweetening of the onion and garlic will transform the natural starches present into sugar giving that lovely sweetened onion flavour as opposed to the harsh raw onion flavour.

Increase the heat to high, add the watercress and a pinch of salt, cover with a lid and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until wilted. The spinach will round up the strong peppery flavour of the watercress.

Pour in the boiling water and simmer for 2-3 minutes, remove from the heat and add the ice.

Pour half the soup into a food processor, and blend until smooth.

Transfer the soup into a clean pan, then repeat with the remaining soup.

When ready to serve, reheat the soup and season to taste with salt and freshly-ground black pepper if required.

Serve the soup in a large tureen with the crème fraiche swirled through.