Soup of the Week: Golden Beet

I have to confess that I am a farmers' market junkie. I hadn't realized just how serious the condition was until my husband and I were wandering along on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and came across a market we had never been to before. Despite the fact that my refrigerator was completely full of vegetables which I had purchased just that week at my regular market, I found myself checking out the booths for more food to take home.

I succumbed and bought more than I needed, but I was particularly happy with the bunch of golden beets I found. I love beets, but I don't see the golden variety that often so I always get them when I can. I was thinking about making a beet carpaccio, but I really wanted to make something hot rather than something served at room temperature. I came across this easy beet soup and it seemed perfect. Of course, you usually think of borscht when you think of beet soup. It's not one of my favorite types of soup, although the recipe I used earlier this year for my Oscar party food choices was really delicious. This soup is altogether more delicate, and not as earthy tasting.

I thought I would be clever and roast the beets first, rather than boiling them as the recipe suggested. An hour later they were still hard and all of the cut flesh had turned black, which really doesn't make for an appetizing morsel. I tossed them into a pot and boiled them as I should have in the first place. I sauteed the beet greens and used them as a garnish, rather than microwaving them and pureeing them. Toasted pine nuts or walnuts would have been a nice addition as well. This is a very large recipe, so I cut it in half.

Golden Beet Soup

6 tablespoons butter
9 2 1/2-inch-diameter golden beets, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (8 to 9 cups), green tops reserved
4 1/2 cups chopped onions
4 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
6 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add beets, onions, ginger, and lemon peel. Cover; cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 6 cups broth and bring to boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer until beets are very tender, 1 hour. Remove from heat; let stand 20 minutes.


2. Puree soup with an immersion blender or in blender in batches until smooth. Return puree to pot. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice to soup and thin with more broth, if desired. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice.


3. Slice enough beet greens to measure 3/4 cup. Microwave greens 1 minute to wilt; place in blender. Add 3/4 cup soup; puree greens until smooth.


4. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle some of greens puree over soup and serve.



From Bon Appetit, December 2007.

Difficulty Level: Easy

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Find Your Dinner at the Farmers' Market: Cook with Baby Beets and Sugar Snap Peas
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