January 12, 2010

Roasted Beetroot Soup

Beetroot. There was a time when the mere thought of eating it would make me shudder. This aversion was doubtlessly associated with the pickled horrors of my youth ... thick slices of soft, slimy, vinegary beetroot. Yuck.

However, after a recent and successful bid to forgive foods that in my earlier days were labeled inedible, I decided to make an "All" beetroot dish! A fresh, vibrant, sexy, beetroot soup.

This soup is healthy, wholesome and satisfying. The perfect combination for a winter warming dish. It is also wonderfully refreshing when served chilled in the summertime.

Like most vegetables, beetroot benefits from roasting, intensifying it's sweet and earthy flavour. The tangy creme fraiche pairs fabulously with the naturally sweet beetroot.

This recipe is so simple and can be made up to two days in advance. Roasting the beetroot ahead of time will make it even easier.

Serves 4

4-5 medium to large beetroot, trimmed and scrubbed
1 large onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 large bay leaf
4-5 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
3 tbls or more of whipping cream
Creme fraiche or sour cream to serve

Preheat oven to 400F. Wrap each beetroot individually in tin foil and cook for one hour until tender. Insert a knife or toothpick into the center to check. Allow to cool. Using gloves, pinch the skin to remove. It should come off with little resistance. Chop beetroot into bite size pieces.

Meanwhile, heat a few tbls of butter in large pan. Add onion and carrot and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds or so. Add the bay leaf, thyme and 4 cups of chicken stock to the pan. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Add the cooked beetroot pieces to to the pan, stir and remove from the heat. The goal here is not to overcook the beetroot in order to retain its vibrancy. Allow mixture to cool. Once cooled, discard thyme sprig and bay leaf. Transfer mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. The soup should be thick but not too thick. Gradually add the leftover cup of hot stock if needs be. Reheat soup over a medium-low heat and slowly stir in the cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with creme fraiche or sour cream.

27 comments:

  1. It sounds like a great tasting soup. I haven't had Beetroot in ages.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Same story for everyone I suspect. Pickled beetroot is so different from the fresh stuff. Yet the pickled one, is the one we encounter first in life. lol. This soup sounds and looks delightful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This looks like a sophisticated and beautiful soup to turn any beet hater over.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The soup looks and sounds wonderful. Beautiful presentation.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a colorful dish! I just recently discovered that I like fresh beets. So I'm so willing to try this soup. Looks wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds healthy and I love the colour ;)

    ReplyDelete
  7. this looks delicious and beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love all things beet! I cannot wait to try this recipe.
    Holly @ hip weddings and 504 Main

    ReplyDelete
  9. wow how pretty!! I love all the bold colors, it makes the soup look so appetizing

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love beets in all forms. I can't wait to try this out.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I have never tasted this. Soup is one of my favorite things to eat. I should give it a try!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love beetroot, love the taste and colour! Definitely going to make some soon!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Yummy..looks delicious ;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Your beetroot soup looks stunning-The colors are just eye popping. Love it.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your photography is absolutely stunning! I love your recipes and can't wait to hear more from you.

    ReplyDelete
  16. That is one sexy soup! Beautiful photos here ;]

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm another Beetroot in all it's forms lover. Having said that I don't think I've ever had 'slimy'. Over here in Greece we eat the 'greens' off the beetroot too. They're delicious steamed and served with olive oil and lemon or vinegar.

    This soup looks perfect for the weather we're having now.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Those thyme leaves in the middle are so mesmerizing.

    Love how you're using beets - they're pretty overlooked in the US!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Too pretty to dip your spoon into!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Beautiful ensemble you have here. As always, the picture reminds me that we eat with our eyes first. Way to give the under-appreciated beet its due.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Very beautiful presentation. I also am not a fan of beets. When I was in Australia, they even served them on burgers at McDonald's - ick! I'd be willing to give this soup a try though!

    ReplyDelete
  22. After seeing this post I could not wait to try it.... and it turned out so yummy...beautiful color too... but how did you get your cream to look like a flower?

    ReplyDelete
  23. This looks really intriguing, I'm going to have to add it to my list of soups that I need to make!

    ReplyDelete
  24. This is a stunning soup, great for a cold wet day. I added "skinny tinny" instead of cream and it is still gorgeous

    ReplyDelete