Creamy Beet With Dill Soup
Description
Toasted caraway seeds and fresh dill perfectly accent this Eastern European inspired soup. Garnish with chopped hard-cooked egg.
Ingredients
•
2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 1/2 pounds raw beets, cut into 1-inch chunks
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1 large onion, cut into large dice
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1 tablespoon butter
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1 pinch sugar
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3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
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1 teaspoon toasted caraway seeds*
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1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
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3 cups chicken broth, homemade or from a carton or can
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2 tablespoons fresh dill
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1 1/2 cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
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Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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Garnish: chopped hard-cooked egg
Directions
1
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep saute pan until shimmering.
2
Add beets, then onion; saute, stirring very little at first, then more frequently, until squash start to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
3
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.
4
Add caraway seeds and cayenne pepper; continue to saute until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer.
5
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.
6
Using an immersion blender or traditional blender, puree (adding fresh dill) until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If using a traditional blender, vent it either by removing the lid's pop-out center or by lifting one edge of the lid. Drape the blender canister with a kitchen towel. To 'clean' the canister, pour in a little half-and-half, blend briefly, then add to the soup.)
7
Return to pan (or a soup pot); add enough half-and-half so the mixture is souplike, yet thick enough to float garnish. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Heat through, ladle into bowls, garnish and serve.