This recipe is from Beets: The Ultimate Recipe Guide, by Jonathan Drue, Encore Books.
Creamy Beet with Dill Soup
- Serves: 2
- Total Time:30 Minutes
- Active Time:28 Minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds raw beets, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 large onion, cut into large dice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pinch sugar
- 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and thickly sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted caraway seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- 1 ½ cups half-and-half or whole milk
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Garnish: chopped hard-cooked egg and/or chopped parsley
Directions
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in large, deep sauté pan until simmering. Add beets, then onion; saute, stirring very little at first, then more frequently, until onion starts to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar and garlic; continue cooking until all vegetables are a rich, spotty caramel color, about 10 minutes longer.
- Add caraway seeds and cayenne pepper; continue to saute until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered until beets are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender or traditional blender, puree (adding fresh dill) until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Return to pan; add enough half-and-half so the mixture is soup-like, yet thick enough to float garnish. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Heat through, ladle into bowls, garnish and serve.
