Beet Soup With Plums & Coriander Yogurt

By Dustin

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion (medium, thinly sliced)
• 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 celery (ribs, thinly sliced)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
• ground black pepper (freshly)
• 21/2 lbs red beets (dark, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1/2 lb russet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1/2 cup plum jam (bright-flavored red or purple)
• lime juice (freshly squeezed, as needed)
• kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic (very finely grated)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsps coriander seeds
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley (finely chopped)
• 1/4 cup olive oil (neutral-flavored)
• 11/2 cups whole milk yoghurt (not Greek)

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from yummly.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in an 8-quart soup pot over medium heat.
Add the onion, garlic and celery and sauté until wilted and verging on translucent, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the cayenne, paprika and several grinds of pepper over the onion mixture and continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the beets, potatoes, plum jam and 9 cups of water.
Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour, or until the beets and potatoes are very tender.
Puree the soup using a handheld immersion blender.
Add a few squeezes of lime juice and salt to taste.
To make the coriander yogurt, while the soup simmers, place the yogurt in a bowl and add the garlic and salt.
Toast the coriander seeds briefly by placing them in a small cast-iron skillet and shaking them over medium heat until they release their aroma.
Transfer the seeds to a mortar and grind them finely.
Add the ground coriander seeds to the yogurt mixture and stir very well with a fork to combine.
Cover well and chill until needed. The yogurt is best within 1 hour of being made.
To serve the soup, ladle it into warm bowls.
Drizzle each serving with 2 to 3 tablespoons coriander yogurt and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley.