Chilled Beet And Fennel Soup Recipes

BEET AND FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Trim beets, leaving 1 inch of stems attached, and scrub well. Wrap beets tightly in foil and roast in middle of oven until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Unwrap beets carefully and let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel beets. Cut half of 1 beet into 1-inch-long matchsticks for garnish and chop remaining beets.
• In a large heavy saucepan heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook onions with fennel seeds, stirring, until softened, about 15 minutes. Add sliced fennel and water and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until fennel is very soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in chopped beets and broth and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. In a blender purée soup in batches, transferring it as puréed to another saucepan. Soup may be prepared up to this point 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat soup until hot, thinning with water if necessary. Stir in orange juice, liqueur if using, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Garnish soup with beet matchsticks and fennel leaves and serve with breadsticks.

CHILLED BEET-AND-SAUERKRAUT SOUP WITH HORSERADISH AND CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375. Wash the beets, and trim only their stem ends, leaving a little of the stems attached. Crowd beets in a single layer in a roasting pan, season lightly with salt and pour in about an inch of water (less if the beets are small, more if they're large). Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and roast until a skewer slides easily through the beets, about an hour.
• When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel. Trim away any fibrous root ends, and cut into ½-inch cubes. Clean the fennel, keeping tough outers for another purpose. Dice the fennel and onion into pieces slightly smaller than the beet cubes. Slice the garlic. Slice the cabbage to about the size of the sauerkraut.
• Set a large pot over medium heat, pour in enough oil to cover its bottom and cook the fennel and onion with a small pinch of salt until they soften. Add the sliced cabbage and garlic, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the beets, sauerkraut and ½ cup of the sauerkraut liquid, then enough water to barely cover. Add a small splash of vinegar and the mushroom butts (if you're using them). Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Chill the soup.
• Taste the soup, and add remaining sauerkraut juice to season instead of salt. Serve with a spoonful of crème fraîche, a little grated horseradish and a few grinds of black pepper.

BEET AND FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Leave root and 1 inch of stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Place beets on a large sheet of aluminum foil; sprinkle beets with water. Wrap beets in foil; arrange packet of beets and the WHOLE onion on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool.
• Combine broth, chopped fennel, and apple in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until fennel is tender. Cool.
• Trim off beet roots; rub off skins, and coarsely chop. Peel and quarter onion. Add beets and onion to broth mixture in pan, stirring to combine. Place half of beet mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed beet mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining beet mixture. Stir in vinegar, juice, salt, and pepper. Return pureed beet mixture to pan.
• Place the pureed beet mixture over medium heat, and cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle soup into bowls, and top with sour cream. Sprinkle evenly with chopped fennel fronds.