Sweet And Sour Beet Soup With Crème Fraiche

By á-174942

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions
• 2 medium carrots
• 1/4 small cabbage head
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 pound fresh beets
• 2 pounds ripe tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 1/4 quarts homemade vegetable stack (or canned vegetable broth or water)
• 2 teaspoons salt (or 1 tspn if using canned broth)
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon rice or cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• Grated zest and juice of 1 small orange (about 1 tbspn grated zest and 1/4 cup juice)
• Crème fraiche or sour cream for garnish
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill for garnish

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Chop the onions. Trim the carrots and thinly slice. Shred the cabbage. Finely chop the garlic. Peel and dice the beets. Peel, seed, and chop the tomatoes (or chop them whole, if you don't mind the skin and seeds).

In a large soup kettle or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and cabbage, and cook, covered (this is called sweating, since the vegetables give up their juices), until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for another minute or two.

Stir in all the remaining ingredients, except the garnishes. Simmer over low heat, uncovered, for at least 1 hour, or until all the vegetables are tender. Taste for the sweet and sour balance, and correct with a splash of orange or lemon juice if need be.

This rich and tangy soup can be served piping hot right out of the pot, or chilled for a hot-weather meal. If prepared a day in advance and serving chilled, check the seasoning -- the refrigerator chill will dampen the flavors.

Top with a swirl of crème fraiche or sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped fresh dill.

Serve with fresh, home-baked rye bread or pumpernickel, with a crock of sweet Hoggett butter -- and mugs of good, cold beer or ale.

This recipe yields 8 to 10 servings.