Beet soup four ways

Making beet soup seems like a production but with a food processor it’s not that bad. Put on thin kitchen gloves to protect your hands from getting stained red and go for it. The results are worth it.

I have some beet soup memories: a chilled beet soup with yogurt at the Dan hotel in Caesarea years ago, seated by the pool, my baby son in a stroller beside me; Beet soup with fried potatoes at my mother-in-law’s house in the fall; and silky beet soup with creme fraiche at a restaurant in Paris a couple of winters ago. This post then, is a tribute to all three memorable experiences, plus one more. You can’t relieve the past, but it’s fun to celebrate it.

My quick way of making beet soup is to peel and then grate the beets in the food processor, then cook them with onion and broth until they are done. I save some of the cooked grated beets for the borsht with fried potatoes, then puree the rest of the soup in a good blender (I use Vitamix) to a silky smooth texture.

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The four ways with beet soup:

• Chill some of the soup and serve in shot glasses for an appetizer with a dollop of yogurt or creme fracihe.
• Cube and saute potatoes in a little butter, place the cooked potatoes at the bottom of a soup bowl together with the cooked shredded beets, then pour the hot beet soup over and garnish with creme fraiche.
• Serve the silky soup as is with a drizzle of creme fracihe, an elegant presentation.
• Add cream to the soup for a pinkish cream of beet soup. Serve with whipped cream mixed with some beet juice to make it pink. This is also good chilled.

Enjoy.

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Ingredients:

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2 lb beets

3 tablespoons butter or oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

6-8 cups stock

A pinch of sugar

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/3 cup whipping cream, whipped with a little of the beet soup for colour

Garnish: 3 tablespoons chopped parsley mixed with 3 tablespoons olive oil.

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Directions:

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With gloved hands peel the beets and shred them in a food processor with the shredding disk.

Heat the oil in a soup pot, add the onion and cook until translucent.

Add the shredded beets and toss with the oil to coat, about 3 minutes.

Add 6 cups of the stock and bring to a boil.

Lower heat to medium and let the soup simmer until the beets are cooked through.

Remove about a cup of the beets from the soup and reserve.

Puree the rest of the soup in a good blender until silky smooth.

Return to the pot, add salt and pepper, and the vinegar to taste. Don’t add the vinegar all at once. taste the soup as you add it.

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Silky beet soup with creme fraiche

Serve the soup in deep bowls with a drizzle of creme fracihe

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Creamed beet soup with beet whipped cream

Add enough whipping cream to the soup to get the right pink shade.

Whip 1/3 cup whipping cream with a little of the soup to colour it.

spoon on top of the soup.

Serve warm or chilled

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Chilled beet soup

Chill the soup, add cream if you wish, and serve with a dollop of yogurt or creme fraiche in shot glasses.

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Borsht with fried potatoes:

Cube a couple of potatoes and cook in a skillet with butter or oil until golden.

Place in soup bowls and pour hot beet soup over.

Garnish with creme fraiche and parsley oil.

 

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