Make this recipe even more soulful by using schmaltz instead of vegetable oil, or white beef stock in place of chicken stock. Save a few pieces of the chopped carrot, red onion, celery and parsnip to quickly blanch and use as garnish. Recipe by Michael Long, serves 4.
Ingredients
3-4 large Colorado beets
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped parsnip
3 pints chicken stock
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons caraway seed
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper
One small yellow beet, raw, shredded with cheese grater
Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Scrub beets (don’t peel them) and place them in a roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and roast until fork-tender, about 30-45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then remove skins and dice. You want about 2 cups.
In large saucepan, sweat vegetables in oil over medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes. Add beets, stock, wine, vinegar and seasonings. Simmer until soft, about 15 minutes.
Purée with immersion blender. (Alternatively, transfer liquid to blender in small batches and purée.) Strain.
Place shredded raw yellow beet and garnish vegetables in bowls. Ladle soup over garnishes and serve.
