a recipe for roasted beet soup...the most beautiful soup in the world?

winter in napa lasted a long time this year...very long.  like no spring kind of long.  like cold and rainy through the middle of june kind of long.  so our local spring and summer produce is all mixed up.  everything is late.   and, since i participate in a napa CSA, i have been experiencing this issue on a weekly basis.  we have had beets, turnips, onions, carrots, garlic and greens daily since the middle of may...and, honestly, i am ready for beet and turnip season to be over.  i think that is the key to eating seasonal, local food.  just when you are getting tired of a particular item...poof, the season is over and you have to wait a year for it to return.  (this philosophy does not work for tomatoes...i never get tired of tomatoes and their season is always way too short.)

so back to beets.  i love them and have been preparing them a number of ways...i think roasted is my favorite, but i also love them raw in salads.  i have a recipe for roasted and raw beets served with feta cheese on a bed of arugula and sprinkled with preserved meyer lemons that is out of this world.

today i made beet soup that tastes delicious and looks absolutely beautiful.  the soup contains beets that are first roasted and then blended with carrots, red onion and green apple.  it is subtlety spiced with chinese 5 powder and fresh herbs, then topped with tangy greek yogurt.  i confess that i am now slightly addicted...and perhaps wishing beet season gives me just a couple more weeks.  i want to make this again...(and again)

farmer's market roasted beet soup
1 lb red beets  
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1 green apple, unpeeled and chopped
3/4 tsp chinese 5 spice powder
3 cups water
1 fresh lemon basil sprig
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 fresh parsley sprig
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
best quality extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup greek yogurt
2 tbsp freshly snipped chives

preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  roast beets by following the directions given in the post want some pink lentils with roasted beets?   cool and peel, then coarsely chop.  set aside
.
add the 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to stockpot over medium heat. add carrots, onion and apple to pot and sauté (stirring often) until onion is just translucent, about 15 minutes.  add chinese 5 spice, pinch kosher salt, pinch black pepper and the beets . continue sautéing until onion just begins to caramelize, stirring frequently, about 5 additional minutes. add the water and herbs. allow soup to just come to a boil, reduce heat to very low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally.  remove herbs.  

if you have an immersion blender (if not, go buy one now!), use this tool to puree soup until it is very smooth. ( if you don't have an immersion blender you can process in a regular blender, but please be very careful.  let the soup cool to warm and add to blender in batches, when pureed, add back to soup pot)

add additional salt and pepper to taste.  just before serving add 2 additional tablespoons best quality extra virgin olive oil to soup, stir and serve in bowls with a dollop of greek yogurt and a sprinkle of chives.

do you have favorite beet recipes?  please share in the comments section of this post...thank you...
best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885
"live a green life of style™ "


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