Roasted Beet Soup
The beets can be roasted up to 2 days in advance. Trim and peel them, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until needed. You can also roast additional beets at the same time, which can be sliced and used in salads.
Ingredients:
- 3 large red or yellow beets, trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stem
- 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 1/4 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cups chicken, beef or vegetable broth
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh dill
Directions:
Roast the beets
Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Put the beets in a baking dish and drizzle with the olive oil, turning them to coat well. Roast until the beets are easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven. When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and coarsely chop them.
Cook the soup
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the beets and broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
Puree the soup
Using a food processor or blender, process the soup to a smooth puree. Serve warm or, for a chilled soup, let cool to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the cheese and dill and serve. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Soup, by Georgeanne Brennan (Oxmoor House, 2006).