Beet Soup: Serve Hot or Cold
Course: Soups and StewsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes1
hourThis recipe came from Gourmet Magazine in 2004. I made it with a roasted crab in citrus butter. This recipe is delicious. It is perfect served hot or cold. When it is served cold I like to give it some texture with toasted sesame seeds and cream fraiche. In the winter, I serve it hot with cream fraiche and fresh chopped herbs. It really is a wonderful soup and can be made vegan with vegetable stock. I prefer homemade chicken stock as I feel it gives the soup more depth of flavor. You can even use yogurt instead of cream fraiche.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb red beets, about 6 medium beets
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, white and green parts only, chopped
2 small onions, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Allspice
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3-4 cups water or chicken broth
2 small bay leafs
2 fresh Thyme sprigs
2 fresh parsley sprigs
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350. Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender when pierced with a folk about 1 hour. Cool. Peel beets. Cut 1/2 of 2 beet into 1/4 inch cubes, reserve for garnish. Cut remaining beets into 1/2 inch pieces.
- Melt butter with oil in a heavy medium saucepan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the leeks, onions and celery, cook stirring until beginning to brown, stirring frequently about 13 minutes. Stir in ginger, allspice, white pepper, and 1.2 inch beet pieces. Cook until vegetables begin to stick to bottom of pan , stirring frequently, add chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme sprigs and parsley sprigs. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove bay leaves, sprigs, and cool soup slightly. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender with the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Soup can be made 1 day ahead. It can be served hot or cold.
- If serving warm, gently rewarm and garnish with creme fraiche and sesame seeds.
- Sprinkle with reserved beets.
